


In a Split Second: A Harry Potter Epilogue

by Marvelor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:40:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 65,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4493994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelor/pseuds/Marvelor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beginning the second after Voldemort is slain, Ginny, along with Harry, Hermione and Ron, take steps to adjust to life without Voldemort. Ginny and Harry find unexpected challenges in reviving their relationship in a world free of fear and uncertainty. Told from the POV of Ginny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Relief

In a split second, I felt a rush of overwhelming relief. 

I couldn’t bring myself to cheer like the hundreds of people erupting in joy around me, but I knew that everything had changed. A second ago, I watched a pale alienoid creature in a dark cloak fall to the stone floor of the Great Hall. I don’t know how, but I was certain that this cruel being was truly and finally destroyed, unlike the last time. His body rested limply on the cold floor, looking strangely peaceful, though I admit I couldn't see his face. The simplicity of his collapse was perhaps what convinced me he was gone. There was no backlash, reverberation, disintegration or hint of remaining energy. If Voldemort were still living, the last thing he'd do is lie down and look weak. 

I turned my head away from darkness toward the light of my life. The worn, ragged, but resolved man that I loved stood barely a yard from the defeated Dark Lord with an unfathomable expression. The world seemed to move in slow motion as I turned my attention to him. My youngest brother and Hermione were the first to reach Harry. An instant later, I trailed them, eager to wrap my arms around Ron, Hermione and Harry, feeling like I’d not seen them in a lifetime. Now, in some ways, it really had been a lifetime ago.

Everyone in the Great Hall was closing in on us, wanting to offer congratulations to the Chosen One. Harry had saved us all, but again, I felt only relief, not happiness. I wasn’t yet capable of real happiness. Not with the recent deaths of so many, my beloved brother included, looming in my memory. Ron and Hermione guided Harry out through the mob of rejoicers to a table where my family stood solemnly. 

Hermione, Ron and I shielded Harry, who had been through so much. Mum stepped forward away from my family to Harry and gave him a mother’s hug. It was the kind of hug where every tension, every emotion, every worry, is released. It was the kind of mother’s hug that Harry had never really known, the kind of hug that engulfs you, surrounds you with an overbearing love that can’t be restrained and guarantees to make you feel like your burden is shared. You would have to be a son or daughter with living parents to understand that kind of hug. At that moment, Harry, who had lost his own parents and every other father figure in his life, Sirius, Dumbledore, Lupin, would now and forever be another son of Molly and Arthur Weasley.

Tears sprang to my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. When Mum released Harry, I saw tears streaming down his face. His breath didn’t shudder. He didn’t sob, but tears poured out from him. Harry looked so vulnerable standing by himself, alone, impulsively with no conscious thought, I went to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He responded by clinging to me as though he were at the edge of a cliff about to fall. His response resolved me. I promised myself that I would not let go of him for as long as I was physically able. Looking up at him, I saw his eyes scanning over the line of the dead. The haunted look on his face terrified me so much that I knew he would break if he stayed here for much longer. I tugged on him, indicating that we should leave the Great Hall. He took one step with me, but then jerked his head to Ron and Hermione, who were holding each other. As if from one spirit, they looked up at Harry minute gesture.

“Severus.” His voice cracked, with something close to hysteria.

They nodded. Hermione spoke, “We’ll get his body from the Shack and make sure it is treated honourably.”

Harry nodded, and then turned back to me. We snaked our way out of the Great Hall. Climbing up to Gryffindor Tower was harder than it should’ve been.

Toppled suits of armour, stone debris, and missing chunks of staircases posed as significant obstacles. It broke my heart to see a place I loved so dearly in such devastation. Though, even as mutilated as Hogwarts was, I watched as baby stones moved slowly to reunite with larger stones. I saw dents in armour bend out and smooth over. The stairs were regenerating the missing chunks. I should have known better than to let Hogwarts surprise me, but that’s when I really comprehended how Hogwarts was and would be resilient. It was not just a place, a castle, but a living spirit. Maybe all those who fought and died for Hogwarts here today would become part of the castle’s spirit and strengthen it even more so.

Watching Hogwarts’ restoration gave me hope for other difficulties in life. Life could go on without the fallen, though they would never be forgotten. Life could be normal and simple as it had been before Lord Voldemort.

Arriving at the Fat Lady’s frame was a relief. This portal was one I had passed through incalculable times under varied situations, some happy while others more dire, like in the past year, but never had I walked through with quite this level of emotional drain. The Fat Lady opened for us without mentioning need for a password, which was lucky, for neither of us would’ve known it. We walked past the comfy sofas and warm fires, and headed up the stairs to Harry’s dormitory. Harry led me to his four-poster bed, and we both collapsed into it. I toed off my shoes and pulled Harry to my chest. Tucking his head into my shoulder, he went out like a light. I held him until he slipped into a deep sleep, and then let myself relax into slumber as well.

The sound of sobbing woke me. Bleary-eyed, I tilted my head up and saw Ron holding Hermione, as I was doing for Harry. The two of them both had tears in their eyes, but Hermione couldn’t quite catch her breath. Harry stirred a bit in his sleep, but did not wake. A soft light through the window was the last thing I saw before sleep took me again.

A hand combing through my hair roused me. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling better than I had in what felt like years. Green eyes met mine. I lifted my hand and ran my hand down his cheek.

“Did you sleep alright?” I asked in a whisper. Harry’s face was quiet, almost peaceful, though the layer of dirt from battle on his face was a reminder of how not peaceful recent events had been. Ron and Hermione were still sleeping, and I heard snoring behind me from Neville. I had become quite familiar with the sound of Neville's snore from our time in the dungeons this past year.

“For the first time in my life, I had my consciousness all to myself. I slept better than I have in 16 years.” Harry answered, matching my hushed voice, but there was a numb, detached element to his voice that worried me. I softened my expression and pulled myself closer to him to show I understood.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, feeling rather hungry myself. Harry lifted a corner of his mouth, and nodded. “Alright, I’ll get something…Kreacher?” I said, summoning him with my mind as well as my mouth.

CRACK. Kreacher appeared beside the bed in a freshly pressed towel and Regulus’ locket around his neck. I propped my head on my hand so I could look over Harry to see Kreacher.

“Yes, miss, you called Kreacher?” Kreacher said, bowing slightly.

“Yes. Could you bring us some food? Anything will do.” I requested. Looking at Harry, noting his state. “And perhaps you could draw a bath for Harry?”

“Certainly, miss.”

“Kreacher.” Harry said, sounding more awake than he’d been before. “You made me very proud yesterday.”

“Thank you, sir. Might Kreacher be allowed to say that Master made Kreacher proud as well?” Kreacher said, bowing deeply to Harry.

“Thank you.” Harry said simply. I think he began to realise that everyone in the Wizarding World would be thanking him everyday for the rest of his life.

“So Kreacher will bring food and draw a bath?” Kreacher said, confirming.

“Bring some sausage, if you have it, would you?” Ron grumbled, apparently have groggily woken at the word food.

Kreacher turned, nodded consent, and then CRACKED out.

“You can summon Kreacher?” Harry asked, looking at me with a combination of impress and admiration. I quirked a guilty grin.

“I tried it once when I was chained in the dungeon after I’d tried to steal the sword with Neville and Luna.” I explained. “They left us there for two days with no food. I called Kreacher and he came and brought us food. The Carrows thought we were starving down there, but we probably ate better than they did.” I paused, thinking about how hopeless the situation had seemed back then. At the time, it was known by the students that the elves in the kitchens managed to get us the good hot food, and the professors got it cold. I felt awed now that I knew nothing like that would ever happen to me again. “I think Kreacher knew that you would want him to help me if you were able to tell him so.”

Harry nodded, looking pleased. “I’ll have to be extra generous to him for keeping you alive and healthy.” The arm around me squeezed gently. I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“He showed me the locket you gave him. He was more pleased by that than you know. He’ll serve you faithfully and happily for his whole life because of that.” I told him, remembering Kreacher babbling to me in the dungeon when I noticed it.

Harry grinned at the thought. I scooted down to wrap my arm over his stomach. Harry sighed with content and stretched his opposite arm over on top of mine. I looked at our arms together and saw the long scar along the inside of his wrist. The one that he got the night Voldemort returned. I lifted my hand and ran my finger from the crook of his elbow, down the length of the scar, to the palm of his hand then trailed my finger back up to his elbow again, wishing to myself I could erase the scar and with it erase the events that led from it.

“That’s what saved me, you know.” Harry said much more quietly, like he knew if he spoke louder he’d weep some more. “When Voldemort killed my parents a fraction of his soul sealed itself inside me, called a horcrux. That’s the reason for the dream I had about your dad, when Nagini attacked him. It’s the reason I’m a parselmouth. But when Voldemort took my blood to regain his body, he took a piece of my being in him as well, strengthening our connection. Last night, before he died, Snape gave me a memory telling me that in order for Voldemort to die, I had to die. That was the only way to destroy the horcrux inside of me. That’s why Voldemort thought I was dead last night. I went to him and surrendered myself. When Voldemort sent the Killing Curse at me, but it only killed the piece of his soul inside me. He still had my blood alive in him, which kept me alive.”

The words poured out from Harry. I tried to follow the details of the onslaught of information. Tears ran from my eyes, touched by the intensity of what he’d said. I buried my face in Harry’s filthy shirt. I would not tell Harry that he was the bravest man I ever knew, or that I could never properly thank him for what he’d done for me as a citizen of this world, nor could I express the grief I felt when I’d seen his lifeless body in Hagrid’s arms. I just looked into the green eyes I loved so dearly and I knew I would never need to thank him, because that is not why Harry did what he did. He didn’t do it to be a hero. He did it because he was the only person who could, for him it wasn’t a choice, but inevitability. I knew the world would forever say these things to Harry, thanking him, and I hoped that he would understand that it wasn’t for him they would say these things, but for themselves.

“So that was why Voldemort couldn’t manage to kill anyone when he came into Hogwarts? Your sacrifice protected us, like your mother’s did for you?” I confirmed, after pulling myself out of my introspection.

Harry nodded, I noticed he was breathing extra deeply, as thought he was fighting to control his emotions. I put my head down and resumed my finger doodles on his arm, hoping to calm him.

“Harry?” I said, continuing my doodles, not looking at him.

“Hmm?” He whispered, sounding close to sleep.

“You know that you’re expected to stay with us, at home, for as long as you want, right?” I wanted Harry to know that he had a place to call home.  
Harry laughed once, the most wonderful sound I’ve heard in a year.

“I expect Molly would flay me if I didn’t.” Harry joked. “There’s no other place I’d rather be right now than at the Burrow surrounded by my Weasleys.” But the last note of that sentence was off. I knew he, like I, was seeing Fred’s cold body lying on the floor of the Great Hall with the ghost of his last laugh on his face. Harry’s arms tightened around me, and my breath shuddered once. Now Harry was comforting me. Together, we lay there, not talking, only requiring the comfort of each other.

CRACK!

Kreacher appeared before us. We both sat up.

“Master, your bath is ready, and then Kreacher will bring breakfast.” Kreacher said, bowing slightly.

“Thank you, Kreacher.” Harry said, swinging his feet off the bed. As he stood, a layer of dirt brushed off him. Kreacher bowed then CRACKED out. I remembered my promise to myself that I wouldn’t let go of Harry until I was physically incapable. I determined Harry to be in good enough spirits to be left alone. He might need a bit to be alone with all that’s happened. I released him with masked wariness.

Harry looked at me, and gave me a beautiful smile. The first true smile I’d seen in a year.

“I’m fine, Ginny.” I smiled back; I guess my wariness wasn’t masked very well.

Harry walked to the bathroom, a devious part of me half-wishing I could go with him. I sat off the bed and walked to a bowl of water on the dresser by the bed. I splashed my face with water and patted my face dry with the towel beside the bowl. I was walking to the door to go to my own dormitory to change when I remembered all my clothes were at home, because I’d had to stay home after the Easter holidays when I had to escape the madness at Hogwarts. It was odd that that period of my life was over. It had seemed never ending. The punishments of torture, the corrupted Muggle Studies classes, the Dark Arts classes, the cruelty of the professors. It was over.

Since it seemed that clean clothes were out of reach for the moment, I picked my wand from the bedside table and used the Scouring Charm to clean those ones I wore.

“How does him seem?” I heard a voice ask. I turned and saw Hermione and Ron cuddled together, watching me. I guess Ron and Hermione finally caved in and accepted they were meant for each other. I smiled inwardly.

“Alright.” I said, walking over to their bed and sitting on the edge. “He seems very peaceful, but it’s a fragile peace. Like a wrong word could crack it. I think he just needs time to get used to the idea of what life will be like now. I know he didn’t think his life was capable of ever being normal. We need to find a way to make that easy for him.”

Ron nodded agreement. “I mean the poor guy literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders last night.” He paused. “Though, of course, he’ll be even more of a celebrity now, so I guess his life will be as normal as it ever was.”

“Did he tell you why Voldemort showed up at Hogwarts carrying his lifeless body?” Hermione asked, voice cracking a bit.

“Yea,” I spoke. “He had this thing called horcrux where part of –” I said this and they both of the exchanged glances.

“A seventh horcrux…” Hermione said. “That makes complete sense.”

“That explains a lot.” Ron said awestruck.

“Wait, a seventh one?” I asked. “There were more?”

Hermione and Ron both looked at me, guilty and reluctant.

“That’s what we’ve been doing this year.” Ron told me. “Voldemort made six, well seven I guess, horcruxes, and the only way we could kill him was to destroy all of them first. That’s why he didn’t die the first time.”

“Tom Riddle’s diary was a horcrux. That’s how Voldemort possessed you.” Hermione said gently.

I felt bile creep up my throat at the memory.

“And that’s why we needed the Sword of Gryffindor. Basilisk venom is one of the few ways to destroy horcruxes. When Harry fought with it in the Chamber of Secrets, it absorbed the Basilisk’s venom.” Hermione explained. “So anyways, how does Harry being a horcrux cause him to show up dead in Hagrid’s arms?”

I blinked, shocked. I wanted to be the one asking questions, but I would have to wait. I shook my head to refocus. “Umm, well, the night Voldemort returned, he took Harry’s blood. That meant when Voldemort perform the Killing Curse on Harry, it killed the horcrux, because Harry’s blood was still alive in someone else.” I scratched my head, not entirely sure I understood it precisely.

“Did Harry know that would happen when he went down to meet Voldemort?” Ron asked, in a quiet voice, looking down that his dirty hands.

I didn’t speak for a second and Ron looked up at me when I didn’t answer. “The memory Snape gave him only explained that he was a horcrux and the only way for Voldemort to die, was for Harry to die first.”

There was silence for a moment. Nothing but Neville’s breathing filling the air.

“So he…” Ron started. Hermione eyes flooded with tears.

“Yea, he surrendered to die to save us all.”

We sat there, silently. Thinking our private thoughts, working through the events. I couldn’t fathom the enormity of the task to destroy six horcruxes.

“What were the other horcruxes?” I asked, aching to know more about their journey this year.

“Well, the diary, the Slytherin locket, Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s diadem, Nagini, and Slytherin’s ring.” Hermione picked up her beaded bag and Summoned the diadem, the cup, and the locket. “Dumbledore kept the diary somewhere, and we don’t know what became of the ring.”

“It was in the Snitch. Or the stone in the ring was, at least.”  
Harry’s numb voice came from the bathroom door. He looked drastically more healthy and content. With all the grime and dust from his face, I now saw he had a rather fetching growth of stubble on his jaw. He also was wearing fresh clothes; ones presumably Kreacher had procured for him. I held my arm out to him, beckoning.

“The snitch Dumbledore bequeathed to you?” I asked, remembering the arrival of Rufus Scrimgeour to the Burrow last summer. Harry came and sat on the bed next to me, taking my hand in his.

“Yea. When I was walking into the forest to meet him, dementors showed up and I couldn't think of a happy thought.” I impulsively gave his hand a little squeeze. “ ‘I open at the close’ the snitch had said. It meant the closing of my life. The Snitch opened and the stone was there.” Harry paused, looking at Ron and Hermione. “The stone in the ring was the Resurrection Stone. My parents, Sirius, and Lupin gave me safe passage from the dementors.”

I shudder went through me. Glancing over, it appeared Hermione and Ron had chills as well.

Then I processed what Harry had said. I had a flash of memory with me sitting in Mum’s lap hearing a bedtime story.

“The story of The Three Brothers and the Deathly Hallows?” I asked, looking at the three of them in turn. They all nodded. The Deathly Hallows. The wand, the stone, the cloak. Harry had a cloak of Invisibility, then the stone he’d just mentioned. Now I understood those moments leading up to Voldemort’s demise. It was about who the master of the Elder Wand was. I wanted to speak, but remained silent for Harry to return to his story.

“After I was finished with the Stone, I dropped it in the middle of the forest. It’s going to stay there.” Harry told us.

CRACK!

Kreacher appeared with a very large tray of food. The tray was probably as long as two times Kreacher’s height. Resting on top was scones, eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, oatmeal, fresh fruit, waffles, toast, cheese, and muffins. It was food for twenty people.

“Good Man!” Ron yelled to Kreacher, jumping up helping him slide the tray onto the bed. Once the tray was settled, Ron thumped Kreacher on the back, he was so happy.

“Thank you, Kreacher.” Harry said.

“Anything else Master needs?” Kreacher asked eagerly. I think he was so pleased to have Harry back.

“Nothing at the moment, Kreacher.” Harry said. He turned to the rest of us, wondering if we needed anything. A thought hit me.

“Actually,” I started, leaning forward to see him properly. “Are you familiar with the Room of Requirement, Kreacher?”

“Of course, miss.” Kreacher nodded.

“Could you go in there and bring me my things that I left in there? Its just clothes and things. Oh, and I’m sure Neville will be wanting his stuff too.” I asked.

“Kreacher will go now, miss.” He said bowing a little.

“Thank you.” I said hurriedly, before Kreacher CRACKED out.

Ron had already eaten half a sausage and was grabbing some toast when I turned back to the tray. Hermione was pouring tea for us, and Harry was spooning eggs onto his plate. The smell of the food combined with the excited voices must’ve roused Neville, because we heard a loud yawn coming from him. The four of us turned to see Neville sitting up in bed.

“Am I seeing things or is that really a tray full of food?”

“Come on over Neville and eat!” Harry called, sounding almost like normal. Neville hopped up and since the tray was as wide as the bed, he grabbed a chair and pulled it to the edge of the bed.

“Ahh.” Neville sighed, reaching out to get a pile of sausage and bacon. “It’s been too long time since I’ve seen this much food,”

The rest of us grunted agreement.


	2. Remember

We ate in relative silence, really only speaking to ask someone to pass a particular food. The headway we made on the food was frightening and very telling. We’d eaten nearly half the food in ten minutes. We all would occasionally look at one another, as if to say, wow we’re all still here. After I was done eating, I sat back and looked at Harry. I knew he could feel my gaze, because, without looking at me, he reached out and took my hand in his. Then he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. It was such a sweet gesture, but I could feel him holding back on me, building a wall between us like last year when he told me he wasn’t coming back to Hogwarts. I told myself that it would be fine. He just needed some time.

As Ron was finally polished off his last serving of eggs, there was a quiet knock on the door.

The four of us turned to see Mum peeking her head through the door. She looked and saw us then walked in.

“Good morning, my dears.” She said in a pained cheery voice. She set about kissing me on the head then Harry, Ron and Hermione, even Neville, who seemed happily surprised by the gesture. 

Once she had finished that, Mum looked at the five of us. 

“We’re going to have a ceremony for the deceased today at three. It’s not going to be fancy, but it’s better than waiting. It will be held in the Great Hall. You’d best come early, there’s likely to be a lot of people.”

“What about Snape?” Harry asked. “He should receive special honour. Without him, none of us would be alive.”

Mum nodded to Harry, “We’re setting up a tombstone next to Dumbledore’s. Do you think that is appropriate?” She asked, genuinely.

Harry’s gaze slipped off out the window, silent. “Yes, I think that would be alright with him.” He looked at Mum, who nodded. 

“I’ll tell Minerva.” Mum told him, smiling weakly.

“Thanks, Molly.” Harry said. Before Mum walked out she placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. The door closed with a click.

“We should get cleaned up, Ron” Hermione said, standing up. “Ginny, do you have any clean clothes I could borrow?” 

I was about to say no, when I looked over on the bed Harry and I had stayed on and there were neatly folded clothes in tidy piles. 

“Ta da,” I gestured to the piles. “Take whatever you need.” Hermione went over and grabbed a few things.

“Let’s go down to the Prefect’s bathroom. It should be in decent shape after the beating this place took last night.” Ron suggested. Harry and I exchanged glances knowingly. 

Hermione blushed a little, but consented to go. As they were walking out the door, “Remember it starts in an hour or so, so don’t get too distracted.” I reminded them, with an eyebrow raised. That comment pulled a snort from Harry and Neville.

When the door closed, Neville grunted a laugh. 

“Took those two long enough.” Neville commented, standing up from the chair, brushing off the crumbs from his lap.

“Neville, I asked Kreacher to fetch your clothes too.” I glanced over and saw similar piles of clothes on his bed. “It looks like he cleaned them too.”

“Brilliant!” Neville said, like I’d given him a Firebolt for Christmas. “Just what I need.” Neville skipped off to his bed, then to the bathroom.

Harry and I were alone now. 

I looked out the window to keep myself from examining Harry. I was worried about his mental state, but I didn’t want him to know how worried I was. I didn’t want him to resent me. I heard Harry get off the bed and walk towards me, but I kept my gaze out the small window, but not really seeing anything.

Harry sat beside me with a heaved sigh. Our legs were just barely touching. 

“I can’t believe it’s done.” He said, his voice barely audible. “The purpose of my existence has been completed. I can do what I want with the rest of it. I can have a life that is mine. I don’t have to be an Auror if I don’t want to. I don’t have to have an appointed guard to protect me. I don’t have to inconvenience people with security spells when I visit their home. I don’t have to ask security questions when I meet someone to make sure it's truly them. I can do what I like, when I like, how I like…” Harry finished this in wonderment, eyes wide with realisations.

“With whomever you like?” I offered, in a quiet voice to mask my unsure emotions. I wasn’t sure how I meant the question. Whether reminding him of my existence in his life or reminding him that he wasn’t necessarily committed to me. The latter made my heart twist.

“Exactly.” He said, seriously. “Ginny,” he started, hesitating, turning a little to face me. 

“I think you’ll have to be patient with me.” He paused. “I care for you, a lot. But I've gotten accustomed to depriving myself anything makes me happy. I don’t really know how to live normally. Normal to me is unstable, stressful and full of life threatening obligations. A stress-free, average, sometimes boring life around me is something of which I have never experienced.” He said this matter-of-factly, placing his hands on his knees palms up.

I put my hand on Harry’s stubbly chin and lifted his face to look at mine. 

“I’m not an expert on average or boring, but I can help with the stress-free and happy part, if you’ll let me.” I said, humour cloaking my words. I gave Harry a saucy grin. My hand trailed from his chin to his neck. “I can be patient and I can help you do things that make you happy, if you want.” I paused, eyeing him until he grinned. “I’m going to say something. I don’t want or need you to say anything in response, but I just want you to know something. Okay?” I said, pausing. 

Harry nodded, green eyes right at mine. I smiled at his solemnity. 

“I love you, Harry, very dearly.” I leaned forward slowly and pressed my lips to his. My hand on his neck felt his skin flush hot. I felt Harry’s hand on the small of my back pulling me to him in response when the bathroom door snapped open. 

Neville pranced out, looking squeaky clean. Harry and I jumped apart reflexively, though Neville, I knew, wouldn’t be fooled. Harry wasn’t the only one who was flushed. I took a few steps toward the window, turning my back to the boys.

I heard Harry clear his throat. 

“You ready to go down, Neville?” Harry asked, his voice only slightly higher than normal.

“Uh, hunh.” Neville answered, in a suggestive tone. I turned slowly to the mirror on Harry’s dresser and pulled the elastic out of my hair to redo the ponytail more neatly.

“Leave it down,” Harry said from right behind me, placing a hand on the fingers combing through my tangles. I turned my head up to Harry’s.

“But it’s dirty.” I said, explicatively. 

“It’s fine.” Harry protested, brushing back my hair over my ear. I smirked and rolled my eyes.

“Alright. Let’s go, then,” I consented. I took Harry’s hand in mine and headed towards the door where Neville was waiting.

Descending the stairs to the common room, I saw Bill, Fleur, George, Charlie, Percy, Dad and Mum waiting for us. There were also a few other Gryffindors who obviously decided to stay for the ceremony rather than go home to rest. I went to my family and hugged each in turn. When I got to George, I had tears in my eyes just from looking at the solitary twin. I rarely ever in my life saw one without the other. They were not merely brothers or twins; they were some of the best friends that have ever existed. They each knew the other outside and inside completely; they knew everything from their first word, to the number of times they’d wet the bed, or the thoughts and words in their head. They were really one person split in two. Tears poured out from me as I realised that my dear brother would have to look in the mirror everyday and see the face of a soul mate he would never speak to again. He would never hear his laugh again. I could hardly bare to hug him. Hugging him felt like hugging Fred, who I would never hold again. 

When I released George, I was bawling. I collapsed on the floor unable to hold myself up. George was the first to me. Harry came and sat next to me tucking my arm under his, gripping my hand with both of his. George’s face was blotchy and tear-stained from a night of crying, but he still had room for more tears to be spilt. My breath was shuddering and I was blind for the tears in my eyes. I had to pull myself together to make it through the ceremony. Putting my left free hand on George’s chest, I concentrated on the rhythm of his breathing. 

In…out…IN…OUT…in…out…IN… OUT… That got my breathing under control and I then was able to stand. Harry didn’t let go of me and George remained on my other side. I knew it would be easier for me to control myself if George wasn’t with me, but I think George needed to be with someone who was as fragile as he felt, so I held him with me. 

My family led the rest of the Gryffindors down to the Great Hall. Hogwarts had been busy regenerating early this morning. The journey was much easier than the previous night's trek. The paintings on the corridor walls were all silent for once like they were watching a procession. But then, I guess they were. When we arrived that the Great Hall, I noticed that for the first time I can remember, the ceiling was simply vaulted with stone bricks. There were no clouds, lightning, blue sky, grey sky, moon, or sun. There was only a ceiling. Instead of the four long house tables, there were chairs lined up in rows; the chairs were facing not the traditional front of the Hall, but turned to the right, facing the long side of the hall, where one hundred-odd white shrouded bodies lay side by side. I didn’t know which body was Fred’s, or Lupin’s, or Tonks, but they were among the brave warriors and that was fine with me. I followed my family to a seat in a row of chairs, George on my left, Harry on my right. Ron and Hermione sat on Harry’s right when they came in seconds later. Neville had found Luna and came to sit by Hermione. I saw Kingsley, Tonk’s mother, Andromeda, others I probably would’ve recognised if my vision weren’t blurred by my unshed tears. 

Moments passed as people filed into the seats. I noticed the seats around Harry filled up faster than the others. I turned back once to glare at someone whispering in an inappropriate excited tone. I must have looked fearsome because they shut their gobs real quick. After the flow of traffic into the room had stopped, Professor McGonagall walked to the centre of the Hall. There was no podium. There were only the draped bodies, McGonagall, and the congregation of loved ones.

“We all know what has happened here.” McGonagall called out. She sounded old in a way I’d never heard in her before. “We grieve for those lost. As Interim Headmistress, I commit these bodies to rest in this place for which they fought. No one will forget what their sacrifice granted us and future generations to come. They will stay here to remind everyone who walks through those doors what can happen when someone, one single person, forgets to love and instead sinks into the bogs of hate and violence. Our fallen warriors will be a monument to pure reason and unyielding kindness toward every living creature. Let no more lives be lost because we allow forces turn away from the light.” McGonagall turned her back to us and faced the bodies. She raised her wand hand and with no discernible movement, the bodies appeared to be retracted into the wall slowly. When the feet finally disappeared into the wall, a cloud of dust fell to the floor and evenly spaced on stone bricks about a yard from the floor were names carved in the stone. Gradually, people stood and left the Great Hall or went to the wall to read the names. At the centre of the wall and about 12 feet up, I could read a large inscription, “They live on in those who remember them.” 

My family gradually stood, and filed out of the row. We proceeded in a line to the wall, walking along reading the names of the dead. Occasionally, we’d have to walk around someone standing before a loved one’s name. When Mum let out a sob, I knew we’d arrived at Fred. Mum placed a hand on his stone, which I now saw was a marble slab, half two feet wide and three feet tall. Dad put his hand next to Mum’s. Then Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and Percy put their hands to the stone. George knelt down and placed a hand halfway down the slab. I squeezed in next to George and rested my hand on the cool, smooth marble. I felt Harry, Ron and Hermione follow suit. I felt the stone grow hotter, then, somehow, at the same time we all removed our hands and stepped back. 

Looking at the stone, I read the stone’s inscription, which hadn’t been there a moment before. ‘Fred Weasley,’ then underneath his name it read, ‘Beloved by all who possess good humour.’ I thought that was fitting. Then I saw that George hadn’t yet released his hand from the stone. After he read the epitaph, George stood and removed his hand. Where George’s hand had been, there was a lingering impression of the shape of his hand. A tribute to the love they shared. Tears once again graced my face, but sobs gratefully stayed away.

Continuing the walk, we did the same ritual for Lupin and Tonks, though Kingsley and Tonk’s mother appeared and joined us for that. 

After we’d finished, I absentmindedly followed Harry and my family out the Great Hall and out the Great Doors. It was a clear day, warm but with a light breeze. We were making our way down to the Black Lake and I noticed where we were going. I lifted my gaze and saw a fresh white marble tomb next to the one for Dumbledore. As we approached it, I saw that something was wrong with Dumbledore’s, it was damaged. I looked at Harry, who did not seem the least surprised. He looked calmly forward. Standing around the tombs was my family, Neville and Luna, Kingsley, Tonk’s parents, McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Sprout, basically those who knew Snape. Everyone was looking at Harry. I gave his hand a squeeze. Only he knew the whole truth about Snape and it was up to him to spread the truth. Harry took a deep breath and walked forward. He approached Severus Snape’s body, rested a hand on the marble slab, and then turned to face us.

“Severus Snape.” He began. “Last night, I discovered the truth about him. Despite what the world believes and what I used to believe, he was loyal to Dumbledore until his last dying breath. In his last mortal moments, he gave me this.” Harry opened a pouch around his neck, under his shirt, and pulled out a vial. “This tells about the good, brave, loyal, and loving side of Severus. Let me share it with you.” He paused, and took a deep breath. 

“When he was young, he met a girl named Lily Potter.” Harry told us. I jerked in shock. Others around me did the same. “She was kind to him, and befriended him. As they grew up, they drifted apart, though Snape never stopped caring for Lily. Later in life, he made a monstrous mistake.” Harry paused again, looking away to the ground and took a deep breath. “A mistake that led to her death. Driven by his grief, he betrayed Voldemort and went to the only person he knew could help.” He turned and placed a hand on Dumbledore’s cracked grave. “Dumbledore trusted his love of Lily and grief of her death. Dumbledore tasked him to protect the only living embodiment of Lily. Me. Without Severus Snape’s cunning, bravery, skill and most of all, his love, I would not be here and honestly, most of you would not be here either.” Harry paused, looking over the people before him. Feeling alone, I stepped forward and took Ron’s free hand in mine. 

“Severus Snape also saved Dumbledore’s life.” Harry said, louder, as if to demand someone to contradict him. “Many might remember seeing Dumbledore’s blackened, sickly hand in the last months before he died. Dumbledore was poisoned by a poison with no antidote. It would have killed him within months from the day he died, but it would have killed him much sooner if Snape had not slowed its progress. You all know that Severus Snape killed Dumbledore. But you do not know that Dumbledore asked Snape to do so to save Draco Malfoy from the soul-shattering act of murder. Snape was fiercely loyal to Dumbledore, not only until the day that Dumbledore died, but until Severus took his last breath. All actions he committed between Dumbledore’s death and his own was done to be able to pass crucial information on to me.” Harry held the vial up again. “In this memory that he gave me, I learned the piece of information that allowed me to finish my task.

“For most of my life, I hated Severus Snape with every fibre of my being. Now, I am humbled by his bravery and loyalty.” 

Harry replaced the vial in the pouch and turned to Snape’s body. Harry reached into the pouch again and removed a wand that was not his own. It was Dumbledore's wand. I couldn’t help stare at it and marvel. I’d seen the wand plenty of times in Dumbledore’s hand, but I’d no idea it was also the mythical Elder as Harry had explained to me earlier. The people around me walked slowly up the small incline to the tombs. Harry was inscribing something on the face of the block of marble. 

Behind me I heard yelling, I turned and saw people I didn’t recognise shouting something. I interpreted their meaning to be that of outrage at the respect being paid to Snape, who they believed to be a traitor. Harry too understood this and began walking around the tomb. I heard him whispering. 

“Protego totalum…salvio hexia…cave inimcum…” He muttered to himself, walking around both Snape and Dumbledore’s tomb. In response to this, everyone in turn did the same. McGonagall, Kingsley, Mum, Dad, my brothers, Andromeda Tonks copied Harry adding I’m sure many more protections than I can think of. Flitwick added extra protective charms in his repertoire and Professor Sprout made the grass sparkle and shine with livened energy. Even Hagrid marched around with his pink umbrella. I already had my wand out reinforcing the perimeter with the few protective spells I could remember, slipping in a few bat bogey hexes for an enemy intruder. After I walked around the tomb three times, everyone but Harry backed away from the little hill of the two tombs. Harry raised the cover of Snape’s tomb into place and turned to Dumbledore. He reached out and returned the Elder wand to one of its previous owners, then took his holly wand and repaired the damage done. Once that was done, Harry turned and walked toward us. I could tell when he passed the perimeters we’d made because he became brighter and clearer, after he passed through. He walked towards me, Ron and Hermione. When he got to where I was, I had planned on only taking his hand, but I reached out and hugged him. I held him, pressing my head around his neck. 

“I love you so much.” I said fervently, before releasing him. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me a thankful grin on his face, then leaned in and kissed my temple. Next he turned to Hermione on the other side of Ron, and hugged her. Ron and Harry bear-hugged ferociously. I glanced up and Hermione, her brown eyes were smiling at the gesture. Harry and Ron freed each other from their grip and Harry stood between me and Ron, taking my hand in his. 

At the same time, the four of us raised our eyes to the tombs and gasped. Before us, surrounding the tombs was a sparkling pillar of light that rose up to the sky like a beacon. I guess some of the other wizards and witches added a bit more than protective spells. It looked like a heavenly beacon. 

“Well, I’m satisfied with the way that looks, eh?” I said, looking at the three of them beside me. Ron and Hermione nodded, Harry smiled.

“Very,” he said, turning and wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned into him, resting my head on his chest. “Very satisfied.” He restated, placing his chin on my head. 

A wintry breeze blew through the clearing where we were and I held tighter to Harry. I heard a happy little sigh from him, and smiled to myself.

“What inscription did you put on the tomb?” Hermione whispered. The others in the clearing were heading our way, presumably to pay respects.

Harry laughed once. “I put ‘Bow before the Half-blood Prince’ with a calla lily beside it.”

The three of us sniggered quietly. 

“Nice one, mate.” Ron said, bumping his to Harry’s shoulder. Almost knocking me out of his arms. I glared up at my brother. I think that had been his aim. He raised his hands palms out in an inauthentic apology. When I turned my head to see who was coming to us, I saw Hermione smack my brother out of the corner of my eye. I grinned infinitesimally; at least I had her on my side.

Professor Sprout, Flitwick, Madame Pomfrey were coming our way. I released Harry so he could greet them properly, but stayed right beside him between Harry and Ron. Professor Sprout started with Hermione, giving her a hug, patting Ron on the shoulder. I offered my hand to her and she covered it with her own and patted it. When she got to Harry, she embraced him and said, “It was my pleasure and honour to teach you, Harry.”

Harry said nothing, just nodded vigorously in response. Flitwick came behind her and shook my hand, then shook Harry’s for a good long while. I began to wonder if Harry was going to hurt his neck looking down at Flitwick, but the short man moved on. Madame Pomfrey hugged us all. I’m sure she saw the four of us more frequently in the Hospital Wing than the majority of students that have gone through Hogwarts, whether we were sick or injured ourselves or visiting the sick or injured. Madame Pomfrey hugged Harry and when she released him, she took his hands, “If you ever fall ill or break a bone, Harry, I want you to fetch me. It’s my honour, and I know your medical history anyways, so it makes the most sense. Do you promise?” She asked.

“Yes’m,” Harry said, smiling a bit. “But I think chances are that my future will be significantly less hazardous.” 

Madame Pomfrey simpered, “Yes, I dare say they will, dear. Good bye, Harry.”

After they left, Andromeda Tonks and her husband Ted approached us. It was very disturbing to look at Andromeda for too long because of her strikingly similar appearance to Bellatrix, who had tried killing me last night. Thankfully, Tonks’ mother had neatened her hair into a bun, which greatly decreased the similar appearance.

“Harry, I should be heading back now. I hope you stop by and see Teddy soon.” Andromeda said, in a quiet voice.

“Of course,” Harry said, taking a step to them. “We’re family now, you’re the grandmother of my godson.” When Harry said that, I’d forgotten that Lupin and Tonks had made him Teddy’s godfather. “I hope you’ll never hire a babysitter, because I will always want to watch him if you need a night off.” 

“Teddy will certainly need the love of anyone he can get. I’m glad Nymphadora and Remus thought to find such a worthy godfather.” Dromeda said, taking a step toward Harry placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll expect you then.” She said, before walking away.

Harry stepped back next to me; I looked up and saw a small grin on his face. 

“More family.” I said smiling, hooking his arm around mine.

He looked down at me and smiled. “More family.” He agreed. 

McGonagall walked up to us, looking at each of us in turn. She seemed lost for words. She merely walked along and gave each of us a kiss on the forehead. When she had kissed Harry, all she said was, “Bless you all.” She walked back to the castle.

Kingsley walked to us purposefully; I’d heard talk that he was the provisional Minister of Magic. I thought that was fitting.

“Good Afternoon, minister.” Harry said. Kingsley chuckled.

“I would like to speak to you about a business proposition eventually, but for now I will let you be.” He said in his deep, calming voice. “Is it safe to assume that I can find you at the Burrow?”

Harry smiled. “It is. I look forward to speaking with you.” Harry was definitely settling his emotions and letting them stabilise. I could tell by looking at him that smiling was no longer such an effort for him.

“Very well, then.” Kingsley said backing away, “I’ll not say good bye, but talk to you soon!” He called out before hustling off to Hogwarts’ Gate to Apparate.

Hagrid suddenly appeared and Harry was nowhere to be seen. I looked up and saw Harry’s shoes and hands poking out of Hagrid. Slowly, Hagrid lowered him to the ground and disentangled his hug.

“I would say don’ ever do tha’ ter me again, but I don’ think ye’ll ever need t’.” Hagrid chastised, gently. “So I’ll jus’ say this: I love every hair on yer head. Take care o’ yerself, an’ don’ be a stranger.” Hagrid said, wetly, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

“I won’t, Hagrid.” Harry said, patting Hagrid’s arm, soothingly. “You were the first friend I ever had, and you’ll always be my friend.” 

“Alrigh’, now.” Hagrid said, straightening out his clothes. “I gots ter go find Grawp now, hiding in the forest, somewhere. Shouldn’t be too hard ter find, big as he’s gotten.” Hagrid chuckled to himself, and tromped off with a final wave.

Neville and Luna walked up as Hagrid left. Luna hugged Hermione, and a rather awkward Ron. I laughed at Ron’s face when Luna pounced him in a hug. I noticed Hermione covering a giggle, too. 

“We’ll see each other soon, Luna. I’m sure. We’ll come up and visit you and your father.” I suggested, as I embraced her. 

“Oh, please don’t.” Luna said in her singing voice. “We’ve got rebuilt it from when the Death Eaters came looking for Harry and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack exploded.” I’d no knowledge of this. 

Eyes wide, I shot an anxious glance at Harry, who gave me an enigmatic grin. I was beginning to see that it would likely take a lifetime for me to hear of all his adventures. 

“But when it is finished, I’ll write to you and invite you all up to the house.” Luna promised. Ron was about to say something when Hermione stomped on his foot. Clearly, there was a story here, and one that I needed to hear. 

Neville was next. He hugged Hermione and Ron, then Neville stopped in front of me. We’d been through a lot this past year; planning, sneaking, running, getting caught, being imprisoned, all with only each other, and Luna for a time, as company. I always knew that Neville had feelings for me, ever since he took me to the Yule Ball in third year. This past year he’d even kissed me, right before they separated us into different cells in the dungeon when we’d tried to take the sword. I think Neville knew nothing else would happen between us. 

Ever conscious of Harry’s presence next to me, I reached up and hugged Neville. Neville’s arms were disconcertingly gentle as they slid around my waist to my back. I began to back out of the embrace, but Neville held me a second longer. I rested my hands on his tall shoulder, and straightened my elbows, looking up at him. I didn’t know what to say. I looked at Neville’s dark eyes and I knew he didn’t know what to say either. Finally, I pulled his shoulders down, so I could kiss his cheeks. I kissed his left cheek, then his right. As I pulled away, Neville snuck a peck on my lips. My eyes closed and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. I pulled out of the kiss, not right away to avoid hurting his feelings, but quickly. I opened my eyes immediately and caught a guilty grin for Neville. Both Harry and Ron shifted uncomfortably on their feet, and I heard Hermione snort. But Neville was unapologetic; sometime in the past year, Neville had gained incredible confidence. 

“Harry.” Neville said, holding out his hand. Harry took it. “I’m sure we’ll see each other soon. I suspect we’ll be seeing much of each other in the future.”

“I suspect we will.” Harry said, keeping Neville’s hand. “Couldn’t have done it without you. Seriously, Neville.” Harry paused, as if unsure of whether to share something. “Would it interest you to know that you killed one-eighth of Voldemort’s soul?” Harry said this nonchalantly.

Neville looked sharply at Harry. “The snake?” Neville asked. Harry nodded. “What about the other seven-eighths? Who did those?” Neville asked curiously.

Harry stepped sideways to face Ron and Hermione so we made a circle. He thought for a second. “Let’s see.” Harry started. “Ron and Hermione each got an eighth. Dumbledore took one. You took one. Voldemort, himself, destroyed one. I did one accidentally with Crabbe’s fiendfyre. I purposefully destroyed two-eighths.” He laid out. “So I really only did a quarter of the work, I got everybody to do the rest for me.” Harry laughed.

“Keep telling yourself that, mate.” Ron said. “You got the hard ones.” 

Hermione snorted, then laughed out right, and then Ron and Harry started laughing too. Neville and I looked at each other and laughed gently, but not as raggedly and the three of them. Ron breathed deeply between laughs and flapped a hand at our uncomprehending faces, “Inside joke.” Then the three of them broke down laughing again. Harry ran at the other two and they fell to the grass laughing more. I had a feeling it was the kind of thing where you had to have spent the better part of a year together to understand their hysteria.

The rest of my family walked up, observing the scene. I gave them a wry smile.

“Come on, you nutters.” George said, walking forward and taking Harry and Ron’s hand pulling them to their feet. “Off to the loony bin. Come on.” George said, beckoning us to Hogwarts’ Gate. 

Ron turned and helped Hermione up.

Mum came forward and spoke to Neville. “Would you like to come to the Burrow for some tea, dear?” 

“Oh, thank you, but I have to go see Gran. She’s resting at home. I gotta go tell her what Harry just told me!” Neville said, galloping off to the gate.

“What would that be, Harry dear?” Mum asked, taking my arm under hers, walking with the four of us.

Harry leaned around me and said, “That he was responsible for killing one-eighth of Voldemort’s soul.” Now it seemed Harry was capable of talking about this with humour quite easily. I think he was realising that he didn’t have to keep his life a secret anymore. I smiled up at him, laughing once, and then turned to see Mum’s reaction. 

Mum tried hard not to show any shock on her face, but her hand seemed to unconsciously squeeze mine and said, “Ah, well, he should be very proud.” 

I nodded agreement, then focused on walking to the gate.

We stopped at the gateway and turned back. I’d gone up this path five times in the horseless carriages from Hogsmeade, only twice, though, did I see the thestral pulling it. I’d walked up this path several more times going to Hogsmeade for the day. The castle nearly looked the same as it always did, though it had a bit more debris right now. I looked over the grounds and saw the light from Dumbledore and Snape’s tombs peeking over a line of trees.

My family lined up, about to Apparate. I looked around, feeling like a baby. I only had a few more months until I turned seventeen. I could Apparate fine, though it wasn’t allowed. I saw Dad start to walk to me, seeing my face.

“I’ll take her.” I heard, turning to see Harry beside me. “If you don’t mind.”

Dad shrugged, then turned on the spot and popped out. My brothers and Fleur followed him, and Mum a second behind. Ron and Hermione stayed. The four of us turned and looked at the castle.

“This was my first real home.” Harry said. “Now my home isn’t a place but people. My family.” He said, looking at us. The three of us smiled. Ron and Hermione spun and left. Harry took a step forward and didn’t take my hand, but hugged me. I wrapped my arms up around his neck, like we were slow dancing. Harry lifted me off the ground and spun. I felt the squeeze, blackness…


	3. Returning

My feet lightly touched the ground and I was home. I saw Ron and Hermione walking through our little garden gate.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Harry asked, keeping my right hand, nodding to a general direction away from the house.

“Sure.” I said, walking along with Harry. I raised my wand toward the house. “Expecto Patronum.” I whispered. White mist shot out of my wand and headed towards Hermione’s head. Harry looked down confused. I shrugged. “Letting Hermione know we’re going for a walk, so she won’t worry. I told my horse to whisper in her ear so Ron wouldn’t make an excuse to come too.” I laughed.

Harry laughed once. “I never did learn how to do the messenger thing with my patronus.” He said regretfully.

I snorted. “Yea…you were too busy trying to defeat a Dark Lord.” I teased in the same regretful tone. “Tonks taught me, last Easter holidays.”

Harry nodded to himself. We were silent for a moment, hearing only the sound of our feet mushing through the tall yellow grasses. We were headed to the edge of a hill. “I haven’t been able to do this in a long time. You know, just go for a walk whenever I wanted. It’s nice.” 

“Yeah.” I agreed, slumping to the ground looking over the meadows before me. Harry sat down next to me with a little bit more grace. I slid down the hill a foot or so and leaned back against the face of the hill. “So I’ve been thinking about next year.”

“Yea?” Harry prompted, matching my movement to lie beside me, propping his head on his hand. I picked up a blade of grass and began tying it in knots. 

“Mum didn’t flip out too much when Fred and George skipped out seventh year, and they barely got any OWLs. I got seven OWLs, but I don’t think that I want a career in anything that Hogwarts could teach me.” I knotted the grass one more time.

“Do you know what you want to do?” Harry asked, taking the blade of grass out of my hands and he began fiddling with my fingers.

“Well,” I started, kind of nervous how he’d receive it. “I was thinking about trying out for the Holyhead Harpies.”

“Really?” Harry asked, a smile breaking on his face. “That’s a fantastic idea!”

“You think so?” I asked, taking his hand in mine.

“Yea, definitely.” He encouraged, nodding once. “You’re brilliant on a broom, of course, and I’ll help you train if you want. It would be fun.” He said, eyes lighting up.

“Thanks.” I told him, “At least I’ll have you on my side when I tell Mum.”

“Always.” Harry said. We were quiet for a few moments, looking at the wind blow the tall grasses. Then Harry groaned. 

“What?” I asked, looking at his face. It wasn’t happy.

“My firebolt, the one Sirius gave me. I forgot. I lost it the night Mad Eye died.” He remembered. “I haven’t needed it since that night. I haven’t a broom.” I put a hand on his arm and rubbed it soothingly while I thought.

“You know,” I thought aloud. “I’m sure Kingsley is planning to give you some kind of award. You should tell him that all you want is a Firebolt.” I suggested, laughing to myself.

Harry laughed once. “But it wouldn’t be the one Sirius gave me.” He pointed out, sounding depressed.

“No,” I conceded. “No, no it wouldn’t.” 

“And I wouldn’t ask for one, I’d ask for two.” Harry told me. “One for you and I’m sure Ron will ask for one for himself. I wouldn’t think Hermione would want one.” 

I smiled. “You’re too good for me.” I gushed. Again, we lay there silent for a while. Then Harry cleared his throat.

“So you and Neville got pretty close this year.” Harry started; the undertone of jealousy was exciting to hear from him, so I decided to tease him.

“Yea, we spent a lot of time together. The two of us with Luna tried to activate Dumbledore’s Army, again, but it seems that everyone else had thrown their coin away. We tried raising resistance against Snape, but not many were keen on it, especially, with the institution of Carrows’ punishments. Neville and I stayed up late in the common room laying out plans, then we’d share them with Luna during the day.”

“It must have been terrible at Hogwarts.” Harry thought. I saw him shiver.

“We found ways to avoid the worst of it.” I said ambiguously.

“And you guys were trapped in the dungeon for a while together?” Harry asked curiously. He wouldn’t look at me, whether it was imagining me in the dungeons, or in the dungeons with Neville.

“Yea, we were down there for a while together. But then they had to separate us.” I answered.

“Why?” Harry asked, interest rising, sitting up a bit more to look at me.

“Neville kissed me.” I answered.

Harry sort of slumped back when I answered. “So today wasn’t the first time?” Harry asked dryly, sounding miserable. I wouldn’t be able to keep this open long.

“No.” I answered obscurely. “But I’ve known Neville liked me since he took me to the Yule Ball.”

I heard Harry puff out a breath. “I’d forgotten that he took you to the Yule Ball.” He paused. “As I recall, he woke me up coming in late that night.” At that remark, I couldn’t continue it. I broke out laughing. I half-rolled onto Harry burying my face in his chest to smother the sound. When I caught my breath, I looked at Harry.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” I apologised. “Harry, love, there’s never been anyone else for me but you. Since I first saw you and King’s Cross seven years ago trying to get on the platform, I knew you were special. When you saved me from the Chamber of Secrets, I was infatuated by you. When I saw you with Cho, I was biting jealous. When I was with Michael and Dean, God help me, but I saw your face at night, not theirs. For me, it’s always been you.” I gushed, then pulled myself onto my elbows and leaned on top of Harry and kissed him. I let my weight rest on him, sharing my warmth. I parted my lips and touched my tongue to his. My fingers ran through his soft black hair and held his head to mine, breathing his scent like honey and cinnamon. Harry kissed me back, but not as forcefully as I wanted, so I gave him one last kiss softly on his lower lip.

“Gin, you were right when you said that you could help me with things that would make me happy.” Harry said, smiling. I chuckled once and snuggled into his chest. We were silent for a moment.

“I still have the valentine you gave me my second year.” He told me, “and the get well card that sang rather awfully, though it doesn’t sing anymore.”

I smacked my forehead, remembering the embarrassing card that I’d been so proud of at the time. 

“Thanks, love.” I said, remembering them.

“So, Ginny.” Harry began, changing his tone. “When you said that it was my face you saw at night. What exactly was my face doing to you while you lay in bed at night?” He asked smiling in his voice. 

“Shall I help show you how to be you happy again?” I asked politely.

Harry grinned. “Please do.”

We’d only just touched lips again, when I heard stomping through the grass.

“HARRY! GINNY!” My obnoxious brother called out. “MUMS GOT THE TEA READY!”

I broke our kiss and growled. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Harry for a flash looked terrified, like Ron was going to beat him up or something. I laughed at his expression and rolled away from Harry. 

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll handle this.” I gave him a grin and stood up so Ron could see me, but he was facing the other way. “Shall I jinx him?” I teased, holding my wand shoulder height aiming.

“Nah, leave him be.” Harry said, kindly, standing up, brushing the grass out of his hair. “OI! Over here, mate!” Harry called, and started walking over to him.

When Ron turned, puffed himself out, and then blew his air out at the sight of us. What was he expecting to find? Harry and I lying down half-naked? Then I saw Hermione trot up behind him. 

“Ron, let’s just go back, we don’t know where they might have gon –” she broke off. “Oh, hello Harry, Ginny. Ron and I were just coming to tell you the tea was ready.” She said this cordially and gave Ron a glare.

“Oh, well, right then.” Harry gibbered. Harry, Ron and Hermione began walking to the house.

“Ron.” I said in an even voice. “Could I have a word?”

Hermione snorted once and Harry fell in next to her. Ron reluctantly stopped and looked at me, totally unapologetic, but somehow guilty at the same time. He crossed his arms defensively. I waited until Harry and Hermione were out of earshot and began walking back to the house with my brother.

“Ron.” I started. “You’re my brother and I love you. But please tell me, what are you scared of if Harry and I like each other?”

Ron paused. “I don’t want him breaking your heart again.” He said this quietly, like he was uncomfortable with this conversation about emotions.

“Ron, you understand why he did what he did last year?” I asked. He nodded. “So do I. When he broke up with me, he did it for my own safety. I never really took it as a ‘we’re finished’ kind of thing. I took it as ‘wait until this mess is over and if we’re still alive, we’re on again.’ So,” I paused for dramatic effect. “The mess is over, and he’s alive and I’m alive. We’re good. If it doesn’t work out, it will be like most relationships in the world. You can’t protect me from that.”

Ron stared at the ground in front of his feet with each step. “I guess.” He pulled from between his teeth. “You’re right.” He sighed dramatically. “At least I know you’re with the best guy in the world. Really though, Ginny, I don’t think you could do any better.” Ron said, slinging an arm around my shoulders fraternally.

I laughed. “I actually agree with you on that.” I told him, putting my arm around his waist.

“But Ginny, one thing,” He began.

“Yea?” I asked.

“Make sure he keeps his hands to himself.” Ron said in a clipped voice.

“What if I don’t want him to keep his hands to himself?” I asked, bluntly, looking up at him, an eyebrow raised.

Ron paled a little in disgust or shock, I couldn’t tell. I laughed. 

“Make sure he keeps his hands to himself.” Ron repeated.

I laughed. 

“Do you keep your hands to yourself?” I asked, eyeing at Hermione. We were coming up on Harry and Hermione as well as the house. I looked up and saw Ron was blushing, a lot. “That’s what I thought.”

“That’s different.” Ron said, pausing to think of a legitimate excuse. “We’re of age.” He defended to me in vain.

“So you’re saying that in three months Harry won’t have to keep his hands to himself?” I teased, but serious at the same time. I searched my brother’s face, it was torn.

“Yes.” Ron said, reluctantly, and then suddenly it smoothed over. “Three months.” Ron seemed to determine that this was the best deal he could get. There was a little smile behind his eyes, like he knew something I didn’t, but I let it go.

“I can agree to that.” I complied.

“Good.” Ron said, smiling as we came to the garden gate where Harry and Hermione were waiting. I looked at Harry and gave him a wink. He smiled a twitch.

“Have a nice talk?” Hermione asked, holding the gate open. Harry walked through and Ron and I followed him. 

“Yes.” Ron and I said together, both of us in a triumphant tone. We exchanged glances, like we were wondering why the other was so satisfied. Hermione closed the gate behind us, chuckling to herself. 

I looked ahead at the front door to the odd but charming house that was my home. I saw a gnome tiptoeing through the yard. I stepped over and punted him over the garden gate. Harry laughed. 

We walked through the door and into the sitting room where Mum had set up the tea. Bill and Fleur had apparently gone back to Shell Cottage, because Mum, Dad, and George sat on one sofa, Charlie was in the armchair, and Percy was by himself on the other sofa. 

“Hello dears, come help yourself to some tea.” Mum said to us, clearly too tired to do it herself as she normally would.

There were four empty teacups set on the coffee table with one of Mum’s favourite blue teapots. There were also biscuits on a platter. Ron trotted up to the table, poured him some tea, and then as an afterthought, poured the rest of us some tea, grabbed some biscuits on a plate and sat on the sofa with Percy. Hermione took her teacup and sat on the sofa next to Ron. I got my cup, put one sugar in it and sat on the floor.

Harry was the last to get his tea. “It’s been so long since we’ve just had tea.” Harry said, looking and Ron and Hermione. They grinned and nodded, appreciatively.

“Yea,” Hermione said. “It’s nice, just sitting here and sipping tea. Nothing else to do.”

“Not worrying about getting ki—” Ron broke off, “Not worrying about anything.” He looked around the room and his family until he reached Percy on the sofa with him. “It’s good to see you Percy.” Ron said, resentment free, just pure honesty.

Percy put on hand on Ron’s knee, “It’s good to see you too, Ron. I’ve missed you.” Ron patted Percy’s hand.

Charlie cleared his throat. I looked to the opposite side of the room. Charlie was looking at Harry and me with a hint of amusement. “You two have a nice walk?” Charlie asked, in a totally different attitude than Ron’s. He was fighting laughter. I saw him exchange a glance with George and they both suddenly pressed their lips together very tightly, holding back laughter. I saw 

Mum and Dad exchange a glance, but couldn’t tell what their expressions meant.

“Yes,” I said dignified. “It’s very beautiful out.” I lifted my cup to my lips and tasted Mum’s tea, trying not to blush.

“It was nice walking around not have to worry about how far until the protective enchantments end.” Harry explained, he too taking a sip. “Haven’t been able to do that in years.” I wondered if he’d said this to avoid more questions.

“So Harry and Hermione, dears, Charlie and Percy are going to stay one night here before going back to their own homes. Which means for tonight Harry dear, you’ll be with Ron, but after that, Harry, you’re free to move Percy’s old room, if you like.” Mum told us, “and Hermione you’re free to move in Bill’s room whenever you like.” Mum smiled widely. I think she liked the idea of Harry and Hermione staying here because it meant more people for her to look after and distract her from the one that is missing. Hermione and I exchanged looks, I knew she’d opt to share with me anyways just for the companionship. 

Harry smiled softly, almost like he was overwhelmed. “Thank you, Molly. That’s very kind of you.”

“Pah.” Mum waved off. “I’m just so glad to have you all here.” Mum added, looking to all of us.

Hermione hesitated. “I appreciate the offer, but in a few days, I need to start trying to find my parents in Australia and restore their memory. They’ll be rather cross with me when I explain everything, but I'd like to get it over with sooner than later.” She said this and I was frozen for a moment. I’d forgotten Hermione had bewitched her parents for their safety. The smile on my face slid off, but Mum just nodded understanding.

“Well, my dear, you’ll always have a bed here whenever you need one.” Mum told her.


	4. Hunting

“Hermione?” I asked, from my bed, combing my hair. It was past midnight and there was very little light coming through my bedroom window. I could only just make out Hermione’s face from the jar of blue fire she put on the floor by the matt she slept on.

“Yes?” She asked, looking up from some book she was reading. We’d been in our beds for several minutes. She’d been reading as usual before bed, but I, who normally zonked out as soon as I hit my mattress, stayed awake thinking about numerous things.

“I want to tryout for the Holyhead Harpies.” I told her with no preamble “I want to be a Quidditch player, and I don’t think another year at Hogwarts will help me be a better athlete.” I had a feeling Hermione would grace me with a lecture on the importance of education.

“You don’t want to go back to Hogwarts.” Hermione summarised, turning on her back, head on her pillow, looking up at me.

“Pretty much.” I answered, nodding. “I’m not going to, I just have to tell Mum.”

Hermione shrugged. “I guess for you it makes since. Your mum should take it pretty well I think. However,” she paused, a smile growing on her face. “Ron will be sorely disappointed.” She giggled.

“Ron?” I asked, confused. “Why should he care?” I wondered.

She laughed again. “He told me about the agreement you made, that you’d make Harry keep his hands to himself until your birthday. Well, his plan was that you’d be in school nearly as soon as you became of age, so you guys would, uh, never get much of a chance.” She laughed. I thought about it and laughed too.

“Well, that was rather clever.” I said, surprised.

“I know, he does do that occasionally,” Hermione laughed. “And he’s gradually become more comfortable showing his emotions.” Hermione commented. I looked at her, knowing that she was very happy, happier than she’d ever been, despite the horrors they’d been through.

I grimaced. “So things are okay with you two?” I asked. They’d been doing alright in the days since they’d come back to Hogwarts. I hadn’t seen them fight, which was unbelievable for even when they were just friends. Now their conversations would start with Hermione saying something, then Ron would say something, then Hermione would smack him, and Ron would shrug, giving into her.

“Yea, things are better between us than they’ve ever been.” Hermione said. “I think he just has to get used to actually being more mature rather than just pretending to be.” She laughed once.

“Well, I glad you finally took pity on him.” I told her. “Did he ever show you that book he read last year? It was almost pathetic, Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches, but it actually did him some good, I think. He actually started thinking about other people for a change.”

Hermione giggled. “So that would account for the change last year.” 

“Yea, Fred and George gave it to him as a joke, but it appeared to be really was helpful.” I told her, but the morose feeling sank into my stomach at my passing mention of Fred. It was like my stomach suddenly filled with ice that wouldn’t melt. I’d gotten past the crying stage in my grief, but the pain in my heart hadn’t yet healed. Remembering that Fred would never again pull a prank on me was a reality that I didn’t want to confront. With effort, I dragged my focus to something less heart-wrenching. 

“So you’re really going to go back to Hogwarts next year all by yourself and finish?” I asked. I couldn’t fathom Hermione being away from her two best friends from that long. The longest she’d ever been away from them in over seven years.

“Yeah,” she said dejectedly, “I’m thinking about writing to Professor McGonagall and asking her to let me commute. I could Apparate to the gate, or use the Floo Network to get to class. Because I’ll only be taking seven classes, and I really don’t want to live away from everything. Especially being away, once I go find my parents.”

“I bet McGonagall would make an exception for you. She did for your third year with the Time-Turner, and this isn’t nearly so risky.” I encouraged.

“Yea, I guess I will then.” Hermione concluded.

“So you’re really leaving to find your parents tomorrow?” I asked. “You could always Portkey back to us for dinner.” I suggested.

Hermione grimaced. “I don’t think I will. I need to live as a muggle to find them.”

“I understand, but I’ll miss you. I only just got you back and now you’re leaving again.” I told her.

“I’ll be back soon. I’ll probably bring my parents around here to give them a better idea of where I’ve been.” Hermione told me.

“That’s a good idea.” I said, my eyes slipping closed. Lethargy was taking me. 

“Good night, Ginny.” Hermione whispered, tapping the jar so the light would dim.

“Good night.” I whispered back, falling asleep to the sound of pages turning.

 

The next morning I woke up, and immediately got dressed, brushed my hair, and looked at myself in my mirror. I wasn’t used to trying to look pretty in the morning, but having Harry living here was worth the extra effort.

I tromped down the stairs and Hermione, Ron and Harry were seated at the kitchen table. Hermione was checking her beaded purse for her things. Ron was not happy. Harry wasn’t unhappy, but he wasn’t cheerful either. I stepped over the bench to sit next to Harry, and then nonchalantly scooted so our thighs were touching. I said I’d tell Harry to keep his hands to himself, not his legs. 

“Good morning.” Harry said, turning to me with a grin. 

“Good morning,” I said, smiling to him, then to the others. Ron made a sarcastic face at me, like I was teasing him or something. But of course, it was obvious that he wasn’t having a good morning. I looked up at Hermione who was standing up and sticking her face at the opening of the purse. “About to leave?” I asked.

“Yea,” She said, still focusing on what she saw. “I think I’ve given back everything of Harry and Ron’s. I can’t be sure, though, it feels the exact same as it does when its empty, so I can’t tell.” She was looking through her bag. “Oh!” she exclaimed, sticking her entire arm down into her bag, which appeared most bizarre to me. “How could I have missed this?”

She straightened up, pulling out a vaguely familiar picture frame with a man sitting in a chair blindfolded and gagged. I gasped, and the three of them laughed.

“I guess you can put this back at Grimmauld Place, if you want Harry.” Hermione said, “Libracorpus.” The bonds flew away out of existence. “Sorry, Phineas. I forgot I still had you tied up.”

“No need, I shan’t visit this portrait ever again!” Phineas said, stalking out of the portrait. I looked at the three of them, wondering.

“Phineas Black, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, we had to bind him when Snape was headmaster, so he couldn’t check up on us when we were staying at Grimmauld Place.” Harry said. It was almost strange sitting so close to him. I could feel his breath of my face, which was pepperminty from brushing his teeth. 

“Little did we know, it was not critically important to do that, seeing that Snape was the greatest spy that ever lived.” Harry said, in a regretful tone. I’m sure he felt bad for thinking so badly of Snape. I lowered my hand under the table and squeezed Harry’s knee. Harry’s expression didn’t change, because Ron was watching us, but I felt his leg press against mine for a moment, then release. 

I reached with my other hand and spooned some oatmeal into my bowl and poured some tea. We’d had a few moments in silence when George came down the stairs. I felt a shock at the sight of him, but it passed almost instantly. The hole on his right side of his head screamed GEORGE. He was dressed up nicer today and had his scarlet work robes under his arm.

“Morning,” he cheered, falsely. George had been doing okay for the last three days; he seemed settled if not happy exactly. We cheered our greetings back.

“Going into work today?” Harry asked, as George sat down across from me, next to Ron.

“Yea, I haven’t been over there in a while. Verity quit last year, so I don’t know what kind of shape it’s in.” George said.

“Do you want some help?” Harry asked, excitedly. “We don’t have anything to do at the moment.”

“I might later, but for now I think I need to go through it alone.” George said, in a tone that I knew meant he’d be going through Fred’s things. It’s weird how much I thought of Fred and George as a unit. It never occurred to me that Fred had things that weren’t George’s, though if I thought about it, I guess they didn’t exactly share toothbrushes or anything. I wondered if they’d even had separate rooms in their flat in Diagon Alley.

“You sure you want to go through it all by yourself?” I asked, doubtful if that was a good thing for George.

“Yea, I’m sure.” He said, quietly, taking a spoonful of oatmeal. “Besides,” he started again, swallowing the oatmeal. “The last time you guys came across my stuff, Hermione here ended up with a black eye from that telescope. I don’t want to be responsible for something like that again.” He joked, smiling with effort. They rest of us smiled too, Hermione reddening a bit.

“Alright, then.” I conceded, standing up and walking around the table. “I love you, George,” I said, kissing him on the forehead, “you know where to find us if you change your mind.” I straightened, looking at Hermione, who was all set to leave.

“Good bye, George,” Hermione waved awkwardly. “I suspect I’ll see you soon.” 

Surprisingly, George stood up and hugged her good bye. “Have a good trip, and thanks for keeping these two alive for us this past year.” He said, indicating Ron and Harry, laughing only once. 

“I’m off.” He said then walked out the door. Harry had stood to say goodbye to her too. 

Hermione hugged me first. “Have a safe trip.” I said in her ear, before I released her.

“Hem, hem,” came out from somewhere. The four of us nearly jumped out of our skins. Hermione, Ron and Harry snapped their wands out in a flash, looking around for Umbridge. I looked around the room, and no one had entered. “Down here.” I heard and saw that Phineas was back. So much for never returning to this portrait, I thought with a snort.

The other three saw Phineas and lowered their wands immediately.

“I have been sent to tell Miss Granger that the Headmistress has received your letter and has agreed to the request.” Phineas said before stalking back out of the portrait.

“That’s fantastic!” Ron said, arms out to hug Hermione. He picked her up and swung her around in a circle. When he put her down, he looked at me with a faux-sad expression. “You’ll have to finish Hogwarts by yourself, Ginny, sorry.” 

I didn’t say anything, but I caught Harry’s eye, who’s mouthed twitched in a held smile, then unconsciously I glanced at Hermione, who also had a knowing look. Ron noticed this and looked from me to Harry to Hermione, then back to me. 

“What are you all looking at each other for?” Ron asked, getting a little peeved.

“Just tell him,” Harry said, looking at me. I’m sure it was hard for him to keep something from Ron. “He’ll find out eventually.” 

I sighed, dramatically. “Let’s go outside.” I said, not wanting anyone else to overhear. 

Once we were in the garden, Ron turned to my path and stopped me from walking more. 

“I’m not going to Hogwarts next year.” I blurted out. Ron’s face bladdered out.

“What!” Ron nearly screamed. “Why not?” He asked, looking at Harry for a second, then back to me. Obviously, he thought I wasn’t going back because of Harry, and to be honest, he was part of it, but not the whole part.

“The only thing I want to be is a Quidditch player, and I don’t need to take my N.E.W.T.s for that. I want to train until tryouts, then tryout for the Holyhead Harpies.” I told him, hoping he wouldn’t say that my personal ambition was stupid.

“But–” Ron said, choking on his words. “But you–” he stuttered again.

“I know I messed up your plan or whatever. Deal with it. I’m not going back there.” I cried at him, but softly to avoid eavesdroppers.

“Urrgh.” Ron said, stamping his feet once like a child. 

Hermione looked up at the sky and said, “I really should be going.” She said regretfully.

“Well, bye again,” I said, hugging her. “Take care of yourself.” 

“You know I will.” She said, smile creeping on her lips.

Harry hugged her fraternally, wrapping an arm around her head. “Come back soon,” Harry said. He let her go reluctantly.

“Hem, hem.” I mimicked, and laughed when I saw them tense and hands twitch in the direction of their wands. “Shall we go finish our breakfast, Harry?” I asked.

“What a good idea, Ginny.” Harry said, loudly enthusiastic. We’d show Ron how to properly allow alone time. As when we were walking, I hooked my arm around Harry’s waist. He responded by putting his right arm around my shoulders, except flexing his hands away from me, as if to show Ron that his hands weren’t touching me. I laughed and snuggled closer to him as we walked into the house. 

When I closed the door, I stood on my tiptoes and gave Harry a kiss, my hands on his hips to help my reach. He lifted me up one stair, so we were the same height, and kissed me back. I folded my arms around Harry’s shoulders and parted my lips. Harry gave in and placed his hands on my ribs, gliding them up to my shoulder blades.

Then I heard Mum lumbering down the stairs a flight above us with laundry. I gave Harry one last kiss then leaned away. It was harder for me to motivate myself to relinquish my hold around his neck, especially when I was looking into his beautiful green eyes and with his arms holding my body to his in a very pleasant way. Then the door we’d just walked through creaked and we really separated. When Ron walked through and Mum finally rounded the landing to the final flight of stairs, we were standing a meter away from each other and Harry’s hands were raised in surrender. 

“Good morning, you three.” Mum sang out, not even noticing the unusual scene before her, I stepped off the stairs to let her pass. “Hermione leave already?”

“She just set off.” I said, acting normal. Ron squinted at the two of us. Harry just gave him a guilty grimace. Ron turned away from us and looked out the window where Hermione had just Apparated from.

“Hey,” Ron said, still looking out the window. “Kingsley’s walking up the drive and, er, and he’s got something with him.” Ron jerked the front door opened and ran out excitedly. I looked at Harry, who was wearing a sly smile.

I walked out at a more measured pace, Harry a step behind me. I saw the familiar great black man, shiny smooth head, and taller than Ron by half a head. He was carrying three broomstick-shaped parcels in his left hand. His right hand was stowing his wand. Ron was just reaching Kingsley to greet him enthusiastically, trying not to speak to the parcels, but to Kingsley’s face.

“Good to see you, Harry, Ginny,” Kingsley called out to us as we grew closer.

“You as well, Kingsley.” Harry said, extending a hand to him. They shook hands and I received a gracious nod.

Then Kingsley straightened up and cleared his throat, looking from Harry to Ron. “On behalf of the Ministry of Magic and the entire Wizarding community, I’d like to offer you a token of our appreciation for services rendered in the past year.” Kingsley smiled, and turned to Ron and gave him one parcel. He held out the other two parcels. Harry took them and gave one to me. “Good man,” Kingsley said, patting Harry on the shoulder approvingly. 

I held the wrapped broom gingerly. It was humming slightly, like a living thing. I thought quiet to myself and the humming dimmed to a subtle purr. Ron held his admiringly, like he’d forgotten the rest of us were there.

“Ron,” Kingsley interrupted. “Harry,” he continued, “I want to talk to you about a business proposition, if you don’t mind. Let’s go for a walk.” He said, heading for the garden gate, “It was nice to see you again, Ginny. Good Day!” He called, leaving me alone with me new gift.

“Good bye, Minister.” I said quietly. I walked in the opposite direction and sat on the a hillside to unwrap my broom. I carefully untied the string and unfolded the brown paper. I reached my hand to it and lifted it to eye level, I could feel the weight of the broom adjusting to my preference in my grip and I could feel the balance of the broom perfectly. I let go of the broom and it hovered right where I left it. Looking at the handle of the broom, I saw little gold lettering of the polished ash handle that read ‘For the gratitude and appreciation of the Wizarding World.’ Blimey, that’ll be a nice story for the kids.

I sat there for a while, looking at the broom, and waiting for Ron and Harry to be done talking to Kingsley. I understood why Kingsley would want to talk to them and not me, but I couldn’t help but feel left out. Eventually, they came into view, heading towards the house, then saw me on the hill and changed directions for me. They tromped up the hill, Ron excitedly holding the broom out in front of him.

When they came in an earshot, I called out. “What did Kingsley talk to you about?”

They took a few more steps before answering. Harry sat down next to me and Ron stood to unwrap his wand.

“Kingsley wants our help to round up the rest of the Death Eaters.” He told me. “Apparently, not many people are sure who’s who and few are up for helping out.”

I looked from Harry to Ron, who stopped for a moment to look at me. I kept my face still and I blew out the air from my chest. “So it’s not quite over yet, is it?” I asked.

Harry grimaced, beginning to unwrap his broom as well. “Well, most of the Death Eaters were present at the Battle at Hogwarts, and nearly all of them were finished off after, I, um, you know.”

“Killed an evil dark lord?.” I answered, quickly.

"Yea." He laughed, then paused thinking. 

“So it’s not completely terrible, mainly it’s just people like the Malfoys, who supported Voldemort, but did so under duress, essentially, toward the end.” He said, thinking so more. “We’ll probably have to create a watch list for people like that.”

“I can’t wait to find Umbridge.” Ron said with a smile, his broom was hovering before him.

“But I thought she just was working for the ministry? Did she do something punishable by law?” I asked, excitedly.

“She passed laws that could’ve destroyed the future of an entire population of innocent people.” Harry stated, disgusted, “She’d better be, and if nothing else, we know she took a bribe from Mundungus, instead of reporting him for theft and illegal sale of magical objects.”

At my confused face, they began to explain one saga from their adventure last year. Piece by piece, I was gradually getting a picture of what the three of them did over this past year. Eventually, I knew that I’d get everything, it might take ten years, but eventually I’d hear everything. After storytime, we all got on our brooms and tried them out. I couldn’t believe the speed of it! It seemed to know what I wanted and respond without me doing anything. Harry taught Ron and I a broomstick version of a muggle game called ‘Monkey in the Middle.’ Harry was the best monkey, but I handled the Quaffle better than him.

When we got tired, we landed and put our new brooms safely in our rooms. Harry had moved into Percy’s room. Personally, I wish Mum had let him have Bill’s old room, but I don’t think she’d approve of Harry and I living across the hall from each other, especially when that would leave a whole empty floor between us and Mum and Dad’s room. As it was, Mum set up Bill’s room like a second sitting room. I went in there and sat on Bill’s old bed, looking out his windows thinking about Harry and Ron going Dark Wizard Hunting with Kingsley.

I heard Harry and Ron coming down the stairs, when they walked by, they saw me in Bill’s room and came in. Ron sat on a cushioned rocking chair facing me and Harry sat at the other end of the bed.

“So when do you start working with Kingsley?” I asked.

“He said that he’d let us know when he got a trail for us to follow, so we’re pretty much on standby all the time.” Harry said, giving me a sympathetic smile when I put on my pout face. “We’re gonna go in on Monday to set up our contract and all the paperwork stuff.”

“Maybe George will let me help him at the store since you two have jobs now.” I said, looking at the two of them. 

“He may not need you there since you’re still underage and can’t legally do magic.” Ron said, looking out the window, absentmindedly.

“Gee thanks.” I said to him, like I needn’t a reminder of how useless I could be. “But its not like the ministry could catch me, I’d be in Diagon Alley, where there’s always magic going on. They can’t actually tell that it’s me. And what’s the worst they do for underage magic? Expel me from Hogwarts? I’m not going back anyways. And the ministry’s such a mess anyways that there’s no way they’re going after every underage magic use now.” I ranted.

Ron held his hands up in surrender, “I was just, you know, saying…” Harry laughed once.

“I’m sure George would love your help, and I doubt he’d tell on you if you did magic.” Harry said, concilitory.

“Thank you, Harry.” I said, smiling at him. I tried not to think about Harry and my youngest brother out searching for Death Eaters. At least they wouldn’t be on the own, and at least the Death Eaters like would be on their own. Small comforts to me, but it was more than I’d had in the last year.


	5. Working

The weeks went on, Harry and Ron went off to the Ministry in the morning, and George agreed to let me help him set up the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes shop again. It had been left sitting around so long; the Pygmy Puffs were lethargic, the Daydreaming Draughts were expired, and the love potions were dangerously potent, so there was a great deal of work to be done.

“Guess you don’t need those anymore, eh sis?” George said to me as we cleared the shelves of the old potions. “Ya got Harry without them?”

I just smiled. “You know perfectly well that I never needed love potions, even before Harry.” I told him with a raised brow. I couldn’t tell how George felt about my relationship with Harry other than his half-hearted attempts to tease the two of us. I think it was only half-hearted because teasing us only reminded him that Fred wasn’t there to join him.

“Ron told me about that silly agreement you made.” George mentioned. I hummed at him to show my interest in that. “You realise that you’ll be in school before you can really enjoy the benefits of being seventeen, right?”

I considered telling George my plan; I knew he of all people wouldn’t frown upon it, but for some reason I held back. Maybe it was because I knew mentioning my plan not to return to school would make George think of Fred. I did everything I could to keep him from thinking of Fred. George had a soul mate, but it wasn’t a romantic soul mate. It was Fred.

George was waiting for my response. I looked at him and saw he was examining me curiously. I shrugged to make him think it wasn’t a problem for me.

“I do what I want, Ron has little effect on it.” I answered, letting George believe that I was sneaking around Ron.

“Ginny.” George growled, in his disapproving fraternal voice.

I smiled at him innocently, and returned to clearing the shelves. After a moment, I processed that his face was actually genuinely disapproving, not just joking. 

“What?” I asked loudly, feeling defensive.

George opened his mouth several times, trying to get the words right, “Are yo– did he –” George paused. “What do you mean, ‘Ron has little effect on it’ are you saying that you’re not, ahem, telling Harry to keep his hands to himself?”

I looked at George through narrowed eyes. True, over the past few weeks, I had several heart-pounding moments with Harry between Ron taking a shower and Dad getting home from work, or Mum going out to feed the chickens and Ron running upstairs for his lucky Chudley Cannon socks. But they were moments, seconds really. Harry’s hands never touched anywhere but my middle back, shoulders, and occasionally my jaw, despite wherever he or I might want them to go. We had done nothing George would disapprove of, or so I thought. 

My silence seemed to worry George more. He grunted at me, then picked me up by my shoulders and sat me down on the floor amongst the piles of products to be thrown out or re-shelved. Then he started pacing in front of me.

“Ginny, you live in the same house as this guy. You’ve got to be careful. I know Harry’s been through a lot, but you got to make sure you’re being safe.” George started, looking like he wanted to say more, but then realised the direction he was leading the lecture to and stopped.

I rolled my eyes. “I can assure you, it’s all been very chaste.” I told my brother, feeling like a child staring up at my brother from the floor. “But you know as well as Ron that I’ve been crazy about Harry for a long time.” I started.

“That’s what worries us.” George muttered. The words were barely audible. George was better at showing concern for me than Ron was, despite George's others issues. I found that I didn't mind this as much as when Ron lectured me.

“George, you need to let us see if we can make our thing work. Harry is a perfect gentleman.” I told him. George looked sceptical; I could only imagine the thoughts going through his head. “No really, he is. He rarely instigates anything physical between us. It’s usually me that brings it on.” My brother shifted uncomfortably. I knew it was easier for him to blame any passion between us on Harry. “He is actually rather apprehensive about letting himself be loved. He got accustomed to protecting people by keeping an emotional distance from them.” I paused. “I’m trying to help him with the barriers he put in his life so he can be normal, as much as he can at least. His scars go beyond the kind you see on his forehead, George, and those scars aren’t so easily healed.” 

George’s expression gradually faded from brotherly concern to guilt. I knew he understood about emotional scars.

“Alright.” He said and abruptly returned to the task at hand. I think he was relieved that he could end our conversation. He didn’t want to continue in the new direction I had taken it. Feeling a little guilty for inadvertently upsetting him, I stood up and continued to take the love potions off the shelf.

We’d been silent a moment when there was a quick rapping on the shop’s front door. George and I both turned.

“Expecting someone?” I asked. 

“No.” George answered, cautiously.

“Well, let’s go see who it is.” I said. We trotted down the stairs and walked across the main floor quietly. I saw a few people at the door but the glass was fogged, so I couldn't identify them. George lengthened his stride to move ahead of me and half covered my view of the door with his body. His hand in his pocket was almost certainly clasping his wand. 

George turned the doorknob and swung the door open, except now he was completely in front of me and I couldn’t see who it was.

“Blimey, you guys scared us. This place is still deserted with all the shops being closed!” George walked forward on his way to hug someone.

At the door, I saw Harry and Ron, and who ever George was hugging. When he released her, I saw Angelina Johnson. 

“Angelina!” I cried and went to hug her. “How are you?”

“I’m well.” She answered with a grin. “I ran into Ron and Harry at the Ministry,” she told me, and then looked at George, “I asked how you were doing, and they suggested we go see you. Fancy taking lunch at the Leaky Cauldron?” She asked.

“Sure,” George and I answered together. He fell in next to Angelina, walking quickly together with their long legs. I fell in next to Harry with Ron on the other side. 

“So how’s work going?” I asked, still feeling strangely grown up to be asking them that.

They both slowed to look at me and said, “We got Umbridge.”

“No!” I shrieked with joy and jumped up and down. “Tell me everything that happened!”

They told me how they found her living with some distant relations, who may or may not be muggle-born. They entered the house undetected and Harry and Ron used the Incarceration Spell at the same time. They told me that Proudfoot and a few other Aurors came to observe and assist only if necessary. Harry and Ron obviously had explained their history with Umbridge, and let Harry and Ron take point. Once they’d sufficiently bound Umbridge with ropes from their wands, they Apparated to the ministry and detained her until her trial.

“Kingsley said that there’s a cell in Azkaban with her name on it, so she’ll definitely be doing time for her crimes.” Ron said, smiling cruelly. 

We were a few meters behind George and Angelina, who were at the brick archway that led to the Leaky Cauldron. We walked in, waving to Tom behind the bar, and took a table. Harry and I sat on one side, George and Angelina on the other and Ron on one side by himself. I saw a wistful look on Ron’s face all by himself and knew he was missing Hermione. Harry discreetly gave Ron a pat on the shoulder. 

“What can I get for ya folks?” Tom hollered at us from the bar.

George looked at us, “Butterbeers?” he asked. The rest of us nodded, “Five butterbeers, Tom!” He hollered back.

“So, Angelina, what have you been up to recently?” I asked, finally getting a chance to see her properly. 

“Well, I’ve been staying with my parents trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I’ve been thinking about trying out for the Holyhead Harpies. They’ve got quite a few folks about to retire, so some spots will be opening up.” 

At the mention of the Harpies, Harry, Ron and I sat up, and then I looked at George, who was eyeing our reaction, curiously.

“What?” Angelina asked, looking at the four of us, confused. Harry and Ron looked at me, and George in turn, looked at me, then Angelina looked at me. I guess it was time to tell George.

“I want to tryout for the Harpies too, instead of going back to Hogwarts.” I said, looking from George to Angelina.

“What?” George asked, smiling in surprise. “You’re dropping out too?”

I quirked a smile and nodded. 

“Well, good luck to you.” George said, like it was a joke. “If Mum kicks you out, you can always live in my flat.”

I laughed, nervously. “Yea, I’m not really looking forward to breaking the news to her.” I admitted.

“It’ll be alright.” George said, smiling again. “All the best Weasleys drop out seventh year, right Ron?” He asked.

Ron smiled, and laughed once. “Here, Here!” Ron cheered taking a mug, as Tom came with our drinks.

I looked back at George. He had a funny expression on his face.

“You know what just gets me?” He said.

“What?” Harry and I asked, as Harry picked up two mugs, handing one to me.

“This means that, now, I’ve had more schooling time than you two. All those years when Mum got onto me about grades, and I stick out school longer than you two. And I had to put up with Umbridge at that!” He laughed to himself. The sound was not quite right. I didn't understand why until I realised that I wasn't used to hearing George’s laugh by itself. I was always hearing it alongside Fred’s. That made me sad, as if he picked up my thought waves, George’s laughter then turned sour. 

“Ginny, we should train together.” Angelina said, picking up the need for a subject change.

“Yea, definitely.” I agreed, “Though, thanks to Harry, you’ll have a harder time keeping up with me this time.” I said, putting a hand on Harry’s knee under the table, and taking a glance up to his face with a grateful smile. “I’m flying a Firebolt now.”

“Part of the Ministry’s thank you for my services to the Wizarding World.” Harry explained casually. I laughed once at his blasé tone. 

Angelina looked at Harry, then to me. “This one’s a keeper, Ginny.” She said, in a hushed admiring voice that was obviously heard by everyone at the table. I saw Harry blush a little and I leaned my head on the side of his shoulder.

“I know.” I said, in a dreamy voice, then pecked him on the cheek. Harry laughed, embarrassed by our girly praise.

At the same time, George and Ron cleared their throats in unison, uncomfortable with my affection toward Harry.

Angelina’s eyes flicked to my brothers, then looked at me, wide eyed. “Blimey, girl, I don’t know how you get any with these two around.” She said, looking at Ron and George reprovingly. “You gotta let a girl have some space.” She turned back to me. “I’m glad I don’t have brothers.” 

I smiled, tensely. 

“Trying having si– as many as I do.” I said, catching my count almost in time. Angelina’s face went slackish. Everything seemed to come back to Fred. He always had such a presence. George looked at his mug and downed what was left. Angelina reached over and squeezed him around the shoulders. Recently, George hadn’t appreciated close comfort from us, but I was happy to see that he seemed to appreciate it from Angelina. The fact that she was beautiful and not related to him probably helped him accept the comfort. Harry wrapped his arm around me and I leaned against him. Looking at Ron, we three exchanged sad expressions.

We ordered and ate our meals in sporadic conversation, not really keeping on topic for too long, fearing it might lead to Fred.

After he’d taken the last bite of his pasty, Harry checked his watch that Mum and Dad had given him last year.

“We’d better head back to the Ministry.” Harry said to Ron, who checked his watch and agreed, still chewing on his food. Harry fished some coins and slipped them to the table. As he was about to stand up, I caught his face and planted one on him, smiling mischievously; Harry wasn’t big on snogging in public, especially in front of my brothers.

“See you at home.” I said to him. He grinned sheepishly at me.

“Bye, Ginny.” He said, looking me in the eyes for a second longer than I expected. I wonder if he knew how wonderful his green eyes were, or if he just liked looking at mine. He stood up, finally, and looked at George and Angelina.

“I’ll see you at the Burrow, George.” He said with a nod, and then gave Angelina a hug goodbye when she stood. “Angelina, it was really good to see you.”

“I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.” She said with a wave.

“Good.” Harry smiled.

Ron hugged Angelina bye then headed out behind Harry, still chewing.

“So when will you open the shop?” Angelina asked, looking at George and me.

“Whenever its ready.” George said, unsure. “There doesn’t seem to be many potential customers waiting for it to open.” He said looking around the near empty Leaky Cauldron.

“If they knew your shop was open, people would come.” Angelina encouraged. “People need things to return to normal.”

George shrugged.

“It’ll probably take another week, don’t you think?” I said, trying to sound optimistic.

George nodded.

“Need some help setting up?” Angelina asked. “I’m not really doing anything until I start training.”

George smiled a little. “Can always use more help, eh Ginny?” 

I laughed. “Yea, especially with the sluggish pace we’ve been setting.”

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bush of mousy brown hair by the front entrance. 

“Hermione!” I cried, standing up and running to her.

“Ginny!” She answered, hugging me when I was in reach.

“We haven’t heard from you, did you find your parents?” I asked.

She nodded. “Everything’s been put right. I just got off the plane with them. They’re heading back to the house; I’m meeting them there. I just had to say hello.” Hermione looked behind me and saw George and Angelina walking to us.

“Glad you’re back. Ron’s been a right git without you.” George said, giving her a quick hug.

“Hermione, good to see you.” Angelina said, politely. 

“And you, Angelina.” Hermione rushed. “Where’s Ron and Harry?” She asked, confused. “First, I went to the Burrow, then Molly said to go to the Ministry, then I went there and ran into Proudfoot in the lobby who said they’d come here for lunch…” She trailed off, looking around making sure they weren’t hiding.

“You must’ve just missed them.” I told her, “They just headed back. I’ll come with you and help you find them.” I said, holding my hand out to her. “You can get along without me, I trust.” I said to George, who gave me a sardonic look as he headed out with Angelina. I grinned at the pair of them before Hermione was Side-Along Apparating us to the Ministry.

We landed in one of their fireplaces at the very front of the lobby. Together, we walked, rather briskly, across the marble floor. The awful statue I’d seen in the Daily Prophet had been removed, the one with muggles in their ‘rightful place.’ I looked around and saw two people that looked like Ron and Harry disappear into a lift.

“I think I just saw them leave in a lift.” I told Hermione, pointing.

“Oh, god. D’you know where they might have gone?” She asked, helpless. She didn’t know that they were working for the ministry.

“They’ll be in the Aurors’ Headquarters.” I told her, continuing to walk to the lifts. One opened and we stepped in.

“Aurors’ Headquarters?” She asked, confused.

“Oh, yes,” I said in a hoity voice, “Didn’t you know? Our boyfriends are out with Aurors hunting Death Eaters. They are very important men.” I smiled. In a normal voice, I said, “Harry told me at lunch that they’d just brought in Umbridge.”

“No!” She gasped with glee.

“Yep, that’s what he said.” I said, smiling too. We arrived at level two and got off. When we rounded the corner, Harry and Ron stood there talking to Proudfoot. Both turned and saw Hermione. 

Hermione ran to them, and them to her. At the last minute, Harry backed off, letting Ron get to Hermione first. I walked to the reunion at a moderated pace. I watched as Ron held Hermione like she was the most precious thing in his world. I couldn’t help smile at their happiness. Hermione kissed Ron’s cheek, then as the let go of one another, they kissed properly. I looked away, glancing at Harry. We wore the same expression, happy, but also thinking how if we did that in public Ron would throw a tantrum. After what seemed like a minute or so, Hermione went to hug Harry.

“Yes,” Hermione answered their unspoken questions. “I found them. I just got off the plane with them.” Ron shuddered at the thought of Hermione on a muggle plane. I admit the idea creeped me out too.

Looking around, everyone in Headquarters was staring.

“Let’s go to our office.” Ron said, proudly. He led the way down the hall into the labyrinth of cubicles. Interoffice notes zoomed past our heads, each paper airplane unique to whoever folded it. I saw Ron glancing at Hermione every few steps to make sure she hadn’t disappeared. We finally stopped at the office that Harry and Ron shared. There were two desks, two chairs and piles of papers on the desks. But other than that, it was pretty plain. Clearly, they didn’t spend much time in the office.

“Wow,” Hermione said as she walked in. I guess she was still getting used to the idea of Harry and Ron being unofficial Aurors. 

Harry gestured for me to sit in his chair, but I chose to sit on his desk. Grinning, Harry took his seat. Hermione sat in Ron’s chair, and Ron copied me propping himself on his desk.

“So how are your parents?” Harry asked. 

“They’re alright. A bit fuzzy and disoriented, but I think their minds will heal fine. I’ll have to stay with them for a while, and make sure they don’t have any bad side effects.” She told us. We all understood. A Memory Charm intense enough to make someone forget his or her own child was no easy feat. It was bound to leave scars. None of us could forget our brief experience with Gilderoy Lockhart at St. Mungo's. Fortunately, Hermione’s charm was bound to be better crafted than that old fraud’s was with Ron's broken wand.

“You should bring them around for dinner.” Ron suggested. “Dad always loves talking with them and Mum always cooks enough for twice the amount of people present.”

“I’ll ask them and see how they feel.” Hermione said, glancing at her watch. “I should probably get back to them. They’ll almost be home.” She said, sadly as she stood up.

“Well, we’re here to help.” Harry said, standing too.

“I know, thanks.” She said, hugging Harry. Hermione stepped to me and I embraced her from my seat on the desk.

“I’ll let Mum know you and your parents might be joining us.” I told her after kissing her forehead.

“Thanks.” She said, turning to Ron.

He jumped up and said, “I’ll walk you out.”

The two of them trotted out. 

Harry looked at me, an unsettled expression on his face from talking about Hermione’s parents.

“They’ll be alright.” I told him as he took a step to me. “If Hermione can’t handle her parent’s adjustment, she’ll take them to someone who can.” I said, consoling. 

Harry took another step forward and hugged me. My face was pressed against his chest. I breathed in and smelled faint kittens and insufferable pinkness.

“I can smell Umbridge on you.” I complained but didn’t pull away. I nuzzled my head in a different spot to find a place that smelled like Harry. 

Harry’s chest rumbled with a laughed.

“Ginny,” Harry started, pulling away to look at me. I met his gaze gladly. “What do wizards and witches do for dates?”

I cracked a smiled and laughed once. “I don’t really know. Do you want to go on a date with me?” I asked.

“I think we should have a go of it. Yea.” He answered, smiling. “But I don’t know what to do. When we were at Hogwarts, all we really could do was go to Hogsmeade, and that doesn’t sound particularly exciting.”

“We’ll think of something.” I said, shrugging. “Maybe Hermione has a book on it.”

Harry chuckled. I felt him kiss my hair, and smiled to myself.

“If you’re gonna do that, I’ve a better place for it,” I told him, pulling his face down to me. I gave him one sweet kiss, seeing if he’d come back for more. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out because someone walked in. Harry straightened and turned to look at his visitor.

I turned my head to see Neville taking a step back from the cubicle entrance. 

“Sorry Harry, didn’t mean to interrupt– oh, hello Ginny.” Looking uncomfortable from seeing Harry and me together, Neville stood there awkwardly.

“Hello, Neville.” I said, in a friendly voice. “I take it that the Ministry has recruited you as well.” 

Neville smiled, then shrugged. 

“What else was I gonna do with myself these days?” He asked, rhetorically. “I was just going to let you know we need the report of Umbridge’s arrest. Also, we need to start collecting personal statements about her behaviour and create a list of any witnesses who we might call on for her trial.” He was grinning ear to ear as he said this.

Harry laughed once. “Got it. Ron’ll be back in a sec and we’ll get working.” Harry answered with a nod.

“Right,” Neville said, “I’ll let Proudfoot know. Bye.” He spoke quietly, eyes shifting to me.

“Bye,” we said together. Neville backed out and went down the hall.

Harry turned back to me and I knew that his next assignment wouldn’t be boring work, but fun work. I couldn’t help grin back.

“I’d better let you go work. I want you to do an especially good job on this one.” I said. Harry laughed, and lifted me off of his desk. “I’ll see you at home.” I told him. I liked saying that to him, like we were living together, just us, when I said it like that. 

“See you at home.” Harry smiled, taking my hand.

“When you're writing, make sure to get all the bad things Umbridge did to you. Don't forget a single thing. If Umbridge gets less that 20 years in Azkaban, then I'm going to blame you, ok?” I teased him, glancing at the hand I held. It was the one that still faintly read _I must not tell lies._

With a quick peck on that hand, I ambled out of the office. It was only as I was stepping into the lobby that I remembered I had no legal way of getting home. I wasn’t seventeen yet and I wasn’t stupid enough to violate underage wizarding law inside the Ministry of Magic. I could nick some Floo powder from someone, I guess. 

I walked over by the fountain where the old statue of the wizard, witch, goblin, centaur, and house-elf stood in the water. It was impossible to forget the time I came up the lift two years ago from the Department of Mysteries. My broken ankle was splinted up from my misadventures, and Tonks had helped me sit on the lip of this very fountain. The fountain at the time had looked very different though. The centaur had been outside of the fountain with pieces blasted out of it, and the head of the wizard wasn’t atop his shoulders. I never had found out where it had gone.

I don’t know how long I stood there looking at the fountain, remembering the past and feeling much older than almost seventeen years old. People must have thought I was barmy.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jerked my head over and saw Ron.

“Hey.” I said.

“Hey.” Ron answered, then held up a leather pouch, “Need help getting home?”

I smiled. 

“Thanks.” My brother had finally learned to think about other people.

“I saw you standing there and figured you were stuck.” Ron said, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry how I’ve been with you about Harry. I know that whatever you two are doing is fine and safe. Harry respects you, and that’s what matters. Angelina’s scorn made me feel a bit guilty. Now that Hermione’s back, I’ll be in a better mood.” 

I kissed my brother’s cheek.

“You’re a good guy, Ron.” I told him. “Hermione’s lucky.” I took the pouch from Ron and scooped out a pinch and threw it into the fireplace. Handing back the pouch, I saw that my words made Ron blush. I smiled before I jumped in the fireplace blurting out, “The Burrow!”


	6. Waiting

Swirling in circles, the familiar scene of the sitting room closed in on my vision. I staggered once as I stepped out of the fireplace. Mum was in there dusting and sweeping lazily from her seat on the sofa, wand raised.

“Hullo, dear.” Mum said, with only slight surprise. “Leave George early?”

“Yea, I came to tell you that Hermione just got back with her parents. There’s a chance they’ll be coming by for dinner.” I told her.

“Oh, good!” Mum said, standing to go into the kitchen. “I’ll chop up some more vegetables and add more potatoes to boil.” I followed her in, knowing she wouldn’t ask my help to chop without magic, she only did that if I’d been bad.

“So you left poor George by himself at the shop?” Mum chided me as cauliflowers floated into the sink to wash.

“Actually, no,” I started. “Harry and Ron came by and we took lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. They brought Angelina Johnson with them. They'd ran into her over at the Ministry, and she stayed to help George out at the shop.” I explained.

“Angelina Johnson?” Mum asked.

“She was on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and was captain after Oliver Wood left. She also went to the Yule Ball with Fred.” I said, the last bit softly. “I think it did George some good to see her. Being around us all the time might not help him return to the most normal life he could live.”

“Well, I’m glad Angelina showed up.” Mum concluded. 

“Me too.” I agreed with a smile

I walked upstairs slowly and sat on my bed, thinking. Being surrounded by people who were starting out on their adult life made my feel like I was just sitting around waiting for mine to start. I was waiting for the courage to tell Mum and Dad that I wasn’t going to go to Hogwarts for my final year. I was waiting to start training with the Harpies, so I can tryout for the team. I was waiting for my birthday to be able to perform magic legally. I was waiting for my birthday to seriously pursue my relationship with Harry. I could only just sit and wait. Frustrated, my eyes drifted over to my firebolt in the corner. The only helpful thing I could do with myself right now was practice flying, so I jumped up, grabbed my broom and practice quaffle and galumphed down the stairs.

As soon as I stepped out of the house, I mounted my broom and shot off. I flew around holding the quaffle in my right hand, pressed against my stomach. I practiced throwing the quaffle at a target, then catching the ball before it reached its destination. The speed on the Firebolt was exhilarating. I felt nothing but the wind on my face and saw nothing but red leather sphere rushing through the air. In the back of my mind, I processed that the sun was going down, but I kept going, knowing chances were good that eventually I would play in a game that lasted after nightfall. The sun was at the horizon and the countryside was bathed in reddish light. After catching the quaffle, I straightened up on my broom and admired the place where I lived. A cold breeze tossed in my hair fiercely, except my bangs, which were stuck on my sweaty forehead. I was too cold and at the same time too hot for much more of this.

I dropped the quaffle, deciding to take one last catch. I counted to five then swung into a dive. Hurtling to the ground, I fixed my eyes on the quaffle, which was enchanted to slow as it approached the ground. It was still four meters away from me and I was getting uncomfortably close to the soggy heath countryside. In one last burst, I snatched the quaffle into my grasp but I was still moving swiftly towards the ground. I pulled up my broom sharply, and it responded terrifically. Unfortunately, I was not expecting this and let the momentum slip me from my broom. 

The fall was not bad. I dropped about three meters down. My breath was knocked out of me and for a long second my mind was blank. Once I recovered some air in my lungs, I realised I didn’t hurt to badly, but I was really rather filthy. A blade of reedy grass sliced my cheekbone like a paper cut and my left pinkie finger wouldn’t bend, but other than that, I just felt a little stiff. I looked above me and saw my broom lowering itself down to where I was now standing up, like a loyal pup returning to its owner. Miraculously, the quaffle was still in my right arm. Laughing at that, I mounted my broom and flew home.

By the time I landed in the garden, the sun had gone down completely. I hurried through the kitchen door and up to my room, before Mum could see the state of me. Once I’d climbed the stairs unseen, I rested my broom in the corner and got my shower things. In the bathroom, when I’d gotten a good look at myself, I was really grateful that I’d made it to the bathroom without seeing Mum. She would not like seeing firsthand what can happen on brooms, and I don’t want her unhappy about Quidditch since it was my intended career path.

After enjoying the feel of warm water running over my wind-chapped skin, I stepped out into the hall in my towel, gooseflesh rippling across my skin from the coolness of the hall. I was rounding the corner of the final flight of stairs to my room when I saw a dark head of hair coming up the stairs in front of me. Harry heard me and looked up.

The stairway was dim, the only light coming from my room behind him. I could see him flush though at the sight of me in my towel, damp auburn hair across my shoulders.

“Oh,” he said, eyes wide, “Hi.”

“Hi.” I said back feeling silly and awkward for some reason. “I, uh, went flying and had a little topple.” I smiled, making light of it, like it was bump on the ground.

Harry took one step up, and there was very little space between us. My heart pounded exponentially. 

“I see that,” he said, raising his hand to run his fingers over my left cheekbone. I felt the stinging ache of a bruise forming; I tried not to wince at his touch. Harry dropped his hand, obviously seeing past my brave face by the way he furrowed his brows. He turned sideways on his step so I could pass. I kept my gaze at him as I budged past him. I didn’t realise it, but I was holding my breath, extremely conscious of the fact that my naked body was only a towel away from Harry. I paused, facing him on the stair. Harry bent down and kissed where my cheek had been cut. He straightened up slowly, keeping his face close to me. I sensed his desire to kiss me more, but he didn’t. He just turned with a grin and walked up the stairs.

In my room, I dropped my towel and looked at myself. I was comfortable with how my body looked. My waist and thighs could be thinner, but my body was pretty trim. I noticed a few more bruises on my left side where I hit the ground. I had a blackish-brown splotch spreading on my hipbone and a spot on my shoulder. I looked at my face and saw a bit of brown along the cut where it was bruising too. That one was only beginning to develop. I groaned, thinking that I wouldn’t be able to hide this one from Mum.

I pulled on a loose jumper over my bra and underwear. After combing through my hair, I put on a bit of make-up. I usually didn’t put on make-up, especially if I was staying home, but I thought anything to reduce the appearance of the bruise would make my life easier. As I was tying my hair up, a knock sounded on my door.

“Come in,” I said, turning in my seat by my mirror. 

Harry walked in with a bottle in his hand. 

“I thought I’d bring you this.” Harry said walking over. “Essence of dittany for your cut.”

“Thanks,” I said, picking up a cloth from my dresser and sat on my bed. Harry took the cloth from me and poured some of the bottle’s contents onto it. He squatted down to see the cut better, so he was eye-level with me.

“I discovered this when Umbridge made me use that fucking quill of hers.” He told me, as he gently patted my cut. His scarred hand was a permanent part of his life, a constant reminder of his past. “It also came in handy this past year.”

“Hmm.” I acknowledged, not sure if I wanted to know what uses they had needed it for. The dittany was very soothing. I closed my eyes enjoying the disappearing sting of the cut. I felt the cloth leave my face and felt fingers replacing them. I opened my eyes and looked at Harry, who was still examining my face.

“All better.” He whispered, smiling slightly. “The dittany doesn’t help with the bruising, unfortunately, but the cut is healed up.”

“Thanks.” I said, looking in the mirror. The skin was now unbroken, but the bruise was spreading across my cheekbone and beginning to approach my lower eyelid. I grimaced. “Mum isn’t going to want me to fly for a while.”

“She’ll be alright. It’s just a bruise.” He comforted, standing up. I stood too, following him out of my room.

“Try three bruises.” I said, then looked at my left pinkie that I had jammed and couldn’t bend. Sure enough, it was blackening too, and swelling. “Make that four.” I said.

Harry saw me look at my pinkie. Going down the stairs, he took my hand and looked at my littlest finger. “Where are the other ones?” He asked.

When we reached the ground floor, we stepped into the sitting room that was empty for the moment. I tugged my jumper sleeve off my left shoulder and show him the bruise. Twisting my head awkwardly, I could tell that bruise a grown too, heading up toward my neck. Harry’s face was sympathetic.

“Blimey, that must’ve been some fall.” He commented. “The other one?”

I pulled my sleeve back in place and looked around the room again to make sure no one was there then hiked up the left side of my skirt and showed him the bruise on my hip. I grinned a little as my movement shocked Harry, who could now see my grey and black boy-cut underwear with a lacy edge. I heard him swallow deliberately. Then I saw him notice my bruise, which, surprisingly enough, had grown from my hipbone up my side to my waist.

Harry cleared his throat quietly, and slowly looked up at me. I could see in his eyes that he was trying very hard not to think about anything but my bruise.

“Do you think there’s something wrong with your broom?” Harry asked solemnly. I laughed at his distraction and yanked my skirt down and straightened it on me. 

“No, it was completely my fault.” I told him, walking over to sit on the sofa. I sat down a bit too hard and gasped at the stinging ache on my hip. I let the air out slowly as the pain diminished. Harry sat down next to me, I knew he wished he could help. “I was throwing the quaffle around a chasing it. The last time, I just dropped it and went into a straight down dive. I caught the quaffle, obviously, but I wasn’t used to a broom that turns so quickly. I pulled up from the dive, but the momentum from my body falling was too strong. I let go of the broom and fell.”

“I guess we should practice diving.” Harry said with a sideways smile. Just then, Mum came in bustling with the broom again.

“Hello, dears.” She said, directing a dustbin toward the pile of dust from the broom. “I just received an owl saying that the Dromeda is coming for dinner and she’s bringing little Teddy.” 

“Really?” Harry asked, perking up. “Fantastic! I haven’t seen them in ages.”

I smiled, remembering that it had only been a week since they were here last. Harry was adorable trying to play with Teddy. He’d never really been around children before, even when he was a child, so he was extra gentle with Teddy. I showed him how to change a diaper, though he could use his wand for the icky parts. This past year, during the Easter holidays, Tonks had brought Teddy by and I’d gotten to spend some time learning about babies from her and Mum, who was also busy fussing over the baby. Remembering those times, I would forget that Tonks and Lupin were gone. I'd wonder why I hadn’t heard from them in a while, and then suddenly everything would come back to me again. My nightmares.

While Mum was straightening up the sitting room, Ron and Dad walked in and sat down, mumbling their hellos. 

“Ginny,” Dad started, “What’s that on your face?” He leaned forward examining my face. I unconsciously turned my head away from him, unfortunately that angled my head toward Mum. 

“Oh dear!” She exclaimed, only just noticing. “Ginny, what happened?” She skipped up to me and looked at me.

“I fell off my broom.” I said through my teeth. I heard a chuckle from Ron’s direction. I shot him a dirty glare.

“Let me look at it.” Mum insisted and struck a hand onto my bruised shoulder to turn my chin up. I gasped, standing up away from Mum. Mum looked more concerned. “Your shoulder too?” 

“Yea,” I sighed, giving up. I caught a sympathetic glance from Harry.

“Look at her pinkie too, Mum.” Ron called out, laughing a bit more. I turned to him raising my hand to my pocket, where my wand was, threateningly.

“It’s not funny, Ron.” Mum snapped. “Come on, dear. We’ll get you fixed up.” She took me by my uninjured hand and pulled me into the kitchen. “Anything else, dear?” She asked as we were leaving the sitting room.

I caught a grin from Harry before I answered the question.

As the kitchen door swung closed, I lied, “Er, no, Mum. That’s it.” 

Mum looked at me up and down, looking for any marks to prove me a liar. I considered at that moment telling her about my other bruise, but her already disapproving look set my mind. I could tell I was in for a lecture.

“Very well, dear, sit down and let me have a look at you.” She commanded. I walked to the kitchen bench and sat gingerly, so as not to disrupt my bruise on my hipbone. “You really shouldn’t be doing such things on a broom to cause something like this and going out by yourself, where no one can help you if you’re hurt! Ginny, you really should know better. At night too! Imagine if you’d hit your head and not been able to find your way back! Not to mention how hard it would be to find you–” 

Mum went on, but I’d stopped listening, I was thinking about how much Teddy will have grown in a week. Babies seemed to grow extremely fast. Then, I wondered what colour his hair would be today. Like anyone would have wished, Teddy inherited Tonks’ Metamorphagus gene. It was an amusing pastime after meals for everyone to sit and watch Teddy. At this point in his life, the phasings were unconscious, merely reacting to his mood or thoughts, but as he gets older, Dromeda was telling us, it would become more conscious. I loved watching Teddy’s hair go from rich brown, while he was eating, to a coal black when he cried for a diaper change, then, my favourite, was when he laughed and it would turn royal blue or hot pink. I also loved how Harry acted like a combination of a father and brother to Teddy, just like Sirius and Lupin were to him. 

I became vaguely aware that Mum’s words were growing louder. She must have noticed my inattention. I looked up at her and popped my own thought bubble for a second.  
“I’m sorry, Mum. I’ll be more careful next time and I’ll bring Ron or Harry with me.” I chanted out, knowing this would get her off my back.

Mum opened her mouth once, and then closed it. Obviously, my remark made her change what she was going to say. “Alright, dear.” She said, lifting up my hand and the pain in my pinkie melted away. I looked up at her and thought she was about to say something to me, but surprisingly she bit her lip and held her tongue. I blinked my eyes, disbelievingly. Mum was holding her tongue? How unusual.

“Dromeda and Teddy are here,” Harry popped his head in, excitedly.

I jumped up and went into the sitting room. Dromeda was brushing off the soot from the fireplace, obviously just having used the Floo Network. Harry skipped over to Dromeda and hugged her. Dromeda gave Harry a peck on the cheek and relinquished Teddy to him. I walked in and hugged Dromeda as well, then went to sit on the sofa with Harry and Ron both were playing a game Harry had shown us call Peek-a-boo. Teddy was laughing, I noticed that Teddy was looking up at Harry and his hair mimicked Harry’s color.

Harry saw me sit down gingerly. “So not completely patched up, eh?” He asked, quietly.

“Mum was already too upset.” I muttered, giving Teddy my finger, who held it tight in his fist.

“When Hermione gets here, I’ll ask her if she knows anything to do.” He told me.

“Thanks.” I whispered, kissing his cheek. I saw his blush and laughed.

The rest of the evening was quiet and relaxed. Hermione showed up with her parents, who seemed a little drunk, despite Hermione insisting she’d taken away their alcohol for the present. Watching Teddy’s phasing particularly amused the Grangers. The meal was pleasant, catching up with everyone. Harry and Ron regaled the whole Umbridge Incarceration again for everyone’s amusement. Everyone but Hermione’s parents seemed to appreciate the accomplishment and they might have as well if they hadn't seemed too tired from the meal to listen. After dessert, Hermione left with her parents and Dromeda took the soundly sleeping Teddy home after a good bye kiss from everyone in the room.


	7. Dating

Clutching Harry’s arm, I felt the familiar compression sensation. I couldn’t help be a little excited, despite the rather ordinary nature of our impromptu date. I dressed up in nice dark jeans with black suede boots, and a slinky, black top that I elected to wear a sweater over while at home, so Ron wouldn’t make me change. It was razorback and loosely draped around the neckline. It was the kind of blouse that if I leaned forward, you might see all my goodies. 

Harry flushed lightly when I took my sweater off and saw my top. I tucked the sweater into a small clutch that I had gotten Hermione to put an Undetectable Extension Charm on it for me. An arm snaked around my waist once I’d finished fiddling with my sweater and pulled me close to Harry’s side. He was slowly becoming more comfortable with our relationship and initiating physical contact. Honestly, I didn’t know if he responded better to my dressing up for him or not, because on some level I think it intimidated him, which I found amusing and sad at the same time. In general, I was the one initiating the physical aspect of our relationship.

Hogsmeade looked much as it ever did, though I’d never before seen it at night. Walking up from the train station, The Three Broomsticks was full of wizards and witches, which would have been odd this time of the year, but ever since the recent events, people seem to be out more than ever. The Shrieking Shack was nestled in the darkness to our left with only the town’s ambient light and the moon to illuminate it. Harry didn’t turn to look at the decrepit house. He’d mentioned that he’d been there briefly the night of the Battle of Hogwarts, but he’d never explained why. I hoped someday I would hear about it, but if it kept Harry sane to not think about it, I wasn’t going to push. We continued walking past the closed shops in silence. There were quite a few people making their way to Three Broomsticks or just going for a leisurely walk. Subconsciously, Harry combed his hair forward across his head, vainly trying to hide his scar, as if people wouldn’t recognise him without seeing it.

“I’ve never been in Hogsmeade at night.” I commented. 

Silence was always comfortable with Harry, but I felt like I should interrupt Harry’s wandering thoughts before they grew too dark.

“I only have a few times.” Harry told me, after a thoughtful pause. “In sixth year, the night Dumbledore died and a little over a month ago, when Ron, Hermione and I went to Aberforth’s, the day of the Battle of Hogwarts.” He remarked in a detached voice. 

_Has it really only been a little over a month?_ I thought. It seemed like a lifetime ago. 

I was glad that he was at least speaking about his experiences that day. That day was becoming something of a taboo subject for everyone but Ron and Hermione. There were still things he hadn’t even told them about that day. Ron and Hermione had been with him through most of his exploits but not all of them. I could tell that he wanted me to know what happened. I could see in his eyes that he wanted to talk about it, but he needed time to do it at his own pace. In the muggle world, I knew there were healers that treated something called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, where people who have gone through a trauma are unable to remember events without reliving them. I think Harry might have a similar condition.

“Well, I hope Aberforth doesn’t mind us stopping by for a drink.” I commented, focusing back on our date. “I’d say it’s the least we can do with all he did for us.”

“Yea.” Harry agreed with a chuckle and his arm squeezed me closer to him for a second. He obviously was remembering Aberforth’s less than happy response to dozens of wizards Apparating into his pub in preparation of the Battle of Hogswarts.

We rounded the corner of the street where Hog’s Head was and immediately heard the sound of glasses clinking and people talking. After walking a bit closer, we realised the raucous commotion was coming from Hog’s Head. We looked at each other, shocked. Hog’s Head had always been a quiet place for dodgy characters to drink unnoticed. However, I guess it's not surprising that the recent events had changed all of that.

“Well.” Harry said, taking a deep breath. “He’s either going to love us or hate us for this.” We both laughed and then walked in.

I immediately recognised the clientele as primarily Hogwarts alumni. Ducking our heads, we searched out Aberforth first. It was jam-packed in the grubby old pub. I held onto Harry’s arm so we’d stay together. Peaking around with my head still ducked, I saw Dean, who for the past year had been believed to be missing or dead, though I’d seen him briefly at Hogwarts a month ago. Dean was talking to the Patil twins and Lavender Brown at a table in the corner. I also saw a group of old Hufflepuffs near them. After the happenings at the castle up the hill, this place had changed from a quiet dodgy pub to a roaring party stop.

Finally making it to the bar, we scrounged two empty stools to sit on. Harry and I exchanged glances. I think we both appreciated the irony that our initial visit to this pub was done so we could take advantage of the silence. Harry pushed his stool closer to me and was subtly using my body to shield his face from the crowd. I guess he was anxious of being recognised and having a fuss made over him.

“You wanna leave?” I asked in his ear. “We could go somewhere quieter.” I suggested.

“Nah,” Harry shook his head. “I want to see Aberforth, and stay for a bit, then we can take off.”

I nodded, showing that that was fine with me. I looked up, watching Aberforth tromp down the stairs with a tray of relatively clean mugs. He slammed the tray on a patch of clear counter space, causing those closest to jerk at the clash of glass. Aberforth turned and looked up at us.

“I knew I’d be seeing you around sometime.” Aberforth snapped in as friendly a tone as you could get from him.

I saw Harry crack a smile.

“How’s business treating you, Aberforth?” He asked ironically. Business was clearly busy.

“A bloody nightmare. Every night I have these hooligans in my bar.” He complained with a disgusted jerk of his hand, though a smile twerked on the corner of his mouth. “It used to be easy, quiet, just a couple of blokes sitting and playing cards. Now I’ve got a flock of gormless gits in my pub every night.” He sighed. “It’s all cause you and your two friends thought you’d pay me a visit too.” He shook a finger at Harry. 

“In all fairness,” Harry started back, “you were already feeding the Hogwarts refugees, though. My thing just happened to make more noise.”

“Yea, that may be the case, but– ” Aberforth went on, but I stopped listening because I was tapped on my shoulder. I turned away from Harry and Aberforth and saw Michael Corner.

I groaned internally, things had not ended well between us.

“Ginny! Long time no see!” He yelled, whether due to his inebriation or the general loudness of the pub. His words were slurred. He’d obviously not been drinking Butterbeer, but something stronger. “I never saw you after the Battle of Hogwarts. I wanted to ask you out sometime.” He said this, leaning his tall body onto the bar beside me. I leaned back away from him. He smelled strongly of firewhiskey.

“Sorry, Michael.” I said, politely. “I’m here with someone.” I told him and started to turn back to Harry. 

I felt his hand on my arm. I jerked it away. 

“Seriously, Michael, I’m not interested. Please leave me alone.” I said forcefully. With my raised voice, I gained Harry’s attention because I felt him stand up out of the stool behind me and place his left hand on my shoulder. Michael puffed himself up like he was getting ready to make a scene.

“Ginny, come on.” Michael persisted. “Let’s just leave together and the boy can take a hike.” 

“I think we just should leave.” I said to Harry, looking up at him from my stool. He was stony faced and looked like he wanted to stay and make Michael leave. That worried me. I didn’t know anything about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I don’t think getting in a duel would help anything. I’m sure I was beet red, both from embarrassment of people beginning to notice us and from anger at Michael’s rudeness. Harry looked at me for a second and gave in. He took my hand and I hopped out of the stool. Harry led the way out and I’d hoped to let that be the end of that, but that was vain hope.

Michael chuckled drunkenly, turning to the onlookers.

“Hey, check this guy out.” I glanced back, seeing Michael jerking a thumb at us and looking around the crowd, who had quieted to a hum. Then looked back at us, Harry and I both had slowed our pace. “Ginny, I’d hold out for a guy that’s not scared of a fight.” Michael joked, and I felt a cold shiver down my spine. Obviously, Michael hadn’t cared to even notice who I was with, or he’d certainly not have said _that_. I shot my head to Harry.

Harry launched himself at Michael. His wand appearing in his hand faster that I could see. I ran over and pressed myself between him and Michael, restraining him. I knew Harry would never duel with someone while I was in the danger zone. My hands went to his chest, making soothing circles, and put my mouth to his ear.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, love. He's not important. Let’s just leave.” I whispered, urgently. “I want to enjoy myself with you. Let’s just go and have fun somewhere else, love.” Harry was still leaning against my hands, but not so violently. I kissed the side of his neck and looked around at Michael. 

To my surprise, Michael had jumped fifteen feet back and landed on the floor. He looked absolutely terrified. I looked at Harry, worried that he’d cast some spell, but Harry, for the first time since we came in, was actually looking up at Michael with his black hair blown back, making his scar visible. I almost laughed how different Michael was facing the famous Harry Potter.

“Let’s go, love.” I sang to Harry, resisting the urge to copy the smile that Michael had given me.

Harry stood for another second looking so fierce it was giving my butterflies knowing he was mine. Harry unfroze from his position, wrapped a proprietary arm low around my waist, and then walked out with me. The people in the pub cleared a wide avenue for us to pass. As we were walking out, I noticed a person with long straight black hair leaving a table that had Rita Skeeter seated at it, who had an acid green quill out and observing the whole scene in the pub.

“Hold on, Harry.” I whispered and walked up to Rita. I felt Harry protectively behind me, not taking any chances with me. “Hello, Rita, up to business as usual, I see.” I said, sweetly, glaring at the parchment and quill.

“Of course, brat, one never stops working.” Rita snapped, her beady eyes glared through her gaudy glasses.

“Of course not.” I said and snatched up the parchment and ripped it to pieces, keeping the pieces in my hand. Then glared at Rita, putting a fist on the table, “Remember, I don’t want to hear you _bugging_ any of my friends in the news, Rita. My close family friends now include the Minister of Magic.” I said, catching Rita’s suppressed gasp at the word bugging. She obviously had forgotten or overlooked that people knew of her illegal animagus status. I straightened up and walked back to the entrance. Before we exited, I caught a glimpse of Cho Chang and noticed how long her black hair had gotten. I threw the paper shreds in the bewitched fire in the hearth as we walked out the door.

When we were out in the fresh air, we both sighed, glad to be out of there. Harry wrapped his arm around my waist again and I leaned into his side. At least Harry didn’t seem too wound up about Michael’s comments anymore. I think he was pleased with the fearful respect he’d received once Michael had known with whom he was dealing. I could feel that Harry was still tense, but it lessened the farther we were from the pub.

“Nice catch, seeing Skeeter there.” Harry said, finally once we’d turned onto Hogsmeade’s main road.

I laughed once. 

“The last thing I want is Rita to be writing how troubled and unstable you are by picking fights in a pub. She also needed reminding why she didn’t write at all for a year or so because of Hermione.”

“Yea,” Harry said, but was silent for a moment. “Maybe I am unstable.” He said quietly. “I’m definitely troubled.” He commented seriously, laughing once humourlessly.

I paused a moment, thinking. I saw an old bench and pulled Harry to it. 

“Harry.” I started, and made sure he was looking at me. “You’ve had horrible things done to you and had unthinkably difficult burdens thrust upon you in your life. Yet with everything you’ve dealt with, you’re not troubled. You’ve had troubles, but as far as I can see, they’ve just about cleared up. And if you’re unstable, it’s only because Michael provoked you in a most acute way.” I turned his head to me, cupping his jaw. His green eyes were clouded with worries. “You are a wonderfully good person. Don’t ever forget that. Okay?” I asked, then smiled at him, lightening the mood. “But don’t worry if you do, I’ll always be around to remind you.” 

He grinned. 

“That doesn’t so sound bad.” He placed his hand on mine. He sighed and then pulled me up from the bench, keeping my hand in his.

“Honestly, I can’t say I blame Michael for trying so hard.” He told me. “You look really great tonight.” He smiled, blushing a little.

“Yea?” I asked, smiling widely.

“Definitely.” Harry said, smiling back. I think he expected me to kiss him for that remark, because he’d unconsciously leaned toward me, but instead I turned my head and leaned into his shoulder. I’d been wondering what he would do if I stopped being so physically affectionate, would Harry start making moves on me? I would like that.

“You ready to go home or do you want to hang around a little longer?” Harry asked. We were approaching the Hogsmeade train station.

“I’d like to stay out some more, but I don’t know where I’d like to go.” I said, looking around the village. People were walking around in pairs and a few large groups were laughing and talking past us.

“I have an idea.” Harry said, clutching my hand tighter before Apparating us somewhere.


	8. Something New

In the darkness, I recognised the building of Grimmauld Place. We were in the square across the street. The dark street was empty with a lone streetlamp for illuminate. When we reached the stoop of number twelve Grimmauld Place, Harry stuck his wand hand toward the door. 

Then it opened unexpectedly. We both jumped, reaching for our wands.

“Master has come back!” Kreacher called out, swinging the door open wide and gesturing for us to enter. “Kreacher has been cleaning it to make sure it was ready for you when you came home.” Kreacher explained, closing the door after we walked in.

Kreacher certainly had been working hard. The entrance hall was nearly unrecognisable. I imagine that this vision before me was the number twelve Grimmauld Place that Sirius’ family had known before Sirius retained ownership. The wood floors and staircase were polished to a sheen and the cobwebs were nowhere to be found. The mirrors were clear of dust and the vases held flowers. The wallpaper had been replaced and the carpets had all been cleaned. The only thing still marring the foyer was the portrait of Sirius’ mother in its place with the curtains drawn shut. I remember so clearly how hard Mum and Sirius tried to remove it three summers ago. Number twelve Grimmauld Place was always a scary place to me, the kind of place where you tiptoed down the hall. What was before me now was a warm welcoming home that was quite pleasant.

“Did you get through the list I gave you, Kreacher?” Harry asked, smiling as he looked around. He was clearly less surprised than I. Harry began to lead me up the stairs past the line of mounted heads of the house elves who had served before Kreacher. 

“Indeed, Master.” Kreacher answered, scurrying up the stairs backwards to stay in Harry’s line of sight. “I also had all the doorknobs transfigured, Master.” Kreacher gestured grandly, as we reached the top of the stairs. “I thought it might please you, sir.”

We approached the drawing room door and saw that the silver doorknobs that had previously been serpents now appeared to be gold lions in mid-roar. They were beautiful. Harry placed his hand on the knob and looked at it.

“Thank you, Kreacher.” Harry said softly. “That was very thoughtful.” 

Kreacher blushed at the compliment. Harry turned the knob and entered the room.

“Is there anything Kreacher can get for you?” Kreacher asked as Harry looked around the room. Here the wallpaper was new as well, and though the Black Family Tree tapestry still hung on the back wall, it was still much homier. The sofa upholstery had been redone to a warmer, pleasanter colour. Harry sat down and continued to inspect the room.

“Um, are you getting a little peckish, Ginny?” Harry asked, turning to me. I think he expected me to join him on the sofa, but instead I felt the urge to go over to the large, freshly cleaned windows that looked out onto the street.

“A bit.” I said. “Some tea would be lovely.” I told him.

“Some tea for me too, Kreacher.” Harry told the elf. “And if you can make some Cauldron Cakes or Pumpkin Pasties or whatever you’ve got.” 

Kreacher bowed and left the room. 

“Getting used to having a house-elf, eh?” I teased, raising an eyebrow at Harry over my shoulder. I knew Hermione would have a few words to say to him if she were here. I turned back to look out the window.

On a feeling of impulse, I opened all three windows to let the night air come through. We’d never been allowed to open the windows when we'd been staying here. Being the Order of the Phoenix’s headquarters, we needed to take every precaution in maintaining its safety. 

“Kreacher gets worried when he doesn’t hear from me for a while. Ron and I take lunch here sometimes. I could tell Kreacher was getting restless, so I made him a list of things to do for me. One of them was making this place less creepy.” Harry explained to me.

I finally gave in and went to sit on the sofa with Harry, but I sat on the opposite end. Then I slid off my pumps and pulled my feet onto the sofa between us. Trying to keep my distance from him was hard, but I wanted to try and see if I could force Harry to close that distance without my initiation.

“Well, its definitely more comfortable this way.” I commented, squishing down into the sofa. “And changing the doorknobs was a sweet of him.” 

“Yea,” Harry laughed fondly. “Kreacher has become very attentive.” His voice faded out, looking towards the windows. I felt a breeze brush my skin from the outside. 

“We never were allowed to have the windows open before. Everything we did had to be undetectable.” I saw the breeze blow Harry’s dark hair off his face.

“I know.” I smiled. “I was just thinking the same thing. It’s funny how many simple, little things like opening windows are available to us now.”

Harry smiled his agreement.

Kreacher came in and set a tray with a teapot, two teacups, sugar, milk, and a platter of sandwiches and pasties. Harry poured us both some tea after we thanked Kreacher, by now he knew how I took my tea, and I put the platter of food between us on the sofa, sitting up and crossing my feet.

We were silent for a moment as we sipped our tea and bit into the sandwiches.

“Are you thinking about moving in here?” I asked, unsure how I felt about that. Harry leaving The Burrow would be hard, but I could handle it. However, right now, the way things were, Harry living by himself was out of the question.

“Well, eventually, I guess.” He said, unsure. “It’s my house. There’s so much room here, I guess I could rent out the space, but I don’t really need the money.” He mused. “It’s always here for someone who needs a place.” He shrugged, and took a sip of tea. “I don’t know if I want to live the rest of my life in this place, though, and I don’t know if I could sell it, after the history of what’s been here.” He paused. “Although, Sirius was the only person I really cared about who ever lived here. The rest of them were a bunch of elitist slime. Except for Regulus at the end.” Harry paused again, then a humorous expression crossed his face. He started chuckling. 

“What?” I said, a smile creeping on my lips.

“What if I sold the house to a Muggle-Born family?” Harry laughed. “How mad do you think every member of the Black Family would be if they knew?”

I swallowed the last sip of tea quickly as I held in a laugh. I imagined the scream of indignation that the portrait downstairs would make when she found out her _Toujours Pur_ house was owned muggle-borns. 

“Bloody livid,” I laughed. 

Harry’s laughter died down. 

“You know what I should do?” He asked, rhetorically. “I should give the rooms out to orphans with no decent family, especially after all the people who’ve died in the past few years from Voldemort’s people. Find a good manager, and have it be open to anyone whose parents have died and need a place to live. Where someone like Teddy or me could’ve gone if we’d had no family left. I’m sure there’s got to be kids out there in similar situations.”

I smiled. “Harry, I think that’s a wonderful idea.” I told him, “and you know what? I bet there are people out there that would love to help you. People like the Diggorys, and Neville’s Gran that have lost their children to Death Eaters would like help those who have lost their loved ones too.” I paused, thinking. “Someone like Madame Pompfrey who’s lived her whole life caring for people, but never had a family of her own. I wonder if she would be interested in starting an orphanage here. We know that she is competent, but strict when she needs to be, so the children would not be mistreated.” 

Harry looked at me, and smiled slowly, like he’d realised that his idea could actually happen.

“And the orphanage wouldn’t have to be a place where people lived. Kids like Teddy could come and play like a day care too.” Harry pointed out.

“Why not?” I asked rhetorically. I was thrilled by the idea of helping people. 

“Will you help me?” Harry asked, leaning forward, putting his hands on my shins. My feet were still crossed up on the sofa.

“Of course.” I told him sincerely. We were sitting there for a second, centimeters apart. Normally, I’d have closed the gap and kissed him. But I was staying strong. I expected and hoped that Harry would kiss me, but he just smiled and leaned backward against the sofa.

Harry picked up his teacup and refilled it. I just watched him, wondering why he wouldn’t cross the space between us and kiss me. He clearly wanted me to kiss him. He definitely liked it when I did.

“Harry?” I said, in a quiet voice. I picked up my teacup and took a sip.

“Yes?” He asked cautiously, looking at me. He noticed the change in my tone.

“How come you won’t kiss me?” I asked bluntly.

Harry’s eyebrows shot up, that clearly wasn’t what he was expecting.

“I do kiss you, Ginny.” He answered, uncomfortably. We didn’t have conversations like this often.

“No.” I disagreed. “No, Harry. I kiss you.” I told him. “But you never are the one to initiate.” 

He listened to that and looked pensive. He clearly didn’t know the answer offhand either.

“Harry, you know I love you, right?” I asked, smiling to him.

He cracked a grin and flushed. I think for him, every time I said that it was like the first time. 

“Yea, Gin, I know.”

I laughed once. 

“That pretty much means, Harry, that whenever you feel like it, my lips are yours to take.” I joked, _as well as the rest of my body too,_ I thought, but didn’t think Harry would know how to begin to respond to that.

“I can think of very few times when I wouldn’t welcome you to anything you wanted from me.” I smiled. Harry looked surprised by my open invitation.

“I – I don’t know why it’s hard for me…” He began, suddenly looking down at the floor. His face had darkened and shut down. Seeing that look triggered a response in me. I moved the platter off the sofa and scooted toward him on the sofa, but didn’t touch him. I lowered my head to meet his eyes. They weren’t wet, but they were shadowed in a way that I had become too familiar with. I softened my expression, and held his eyes. It was so hard for me to not pull him to my chest. 

“I think it's just a reflex to mistrust my own feelings or second guess them based on potential consequences.” He said. “It feels like almost everyone I’ve ever really cared about have died. I don’t know if I have the ability to make any extraordinary leaps yet. And then there’s the something that happened between going into hiding for almost year and Ron’s brotherly protectiveness over you that I’ve become painfully cautious when it comes to you, Ginny.” Harry looked at me with an unfathomable expression.

 _I’ll kill Ron,_ I thought to myself. Even though I knew he wasn’t really to blame, it felt easier to do so.

“If there was anything I could do to reverse that for you, I would, Harry.” I told him, “but I think this is something that you need to work out for yourself.” 

“Harry, I will tell you that I love you every day. I will be with you whenever you need or want me.” I paused and took a breath. “But I think I need to back off and let you work some stuff out. So. I will not kiss you, or hold your hand, unless you initiate it first.” I told him.

Almost comically, Harry’s face fell.

“Believe me, it’s going to be difficult for us both.” I assured him with a grimace. I fell silent unsure of what to say. Harry looked at me, green eyes wide. I wondered if I would ever tire of the beautiful green of them. I knew everyone who knew Harry’s mother, Lily, insisted that he had exactly her eyes. I wish I could’ve known her. 

It was interesting to realise about how different my relationship with Harry was from typical ones. I didn’t have to meet his parents, and hear funny stories about when he was young. When Harry was young, his only remaining relatives had resented and tormented him. I wondered if he had any fond memories from his childhood. That was one thing I never asked him, partially because I didn’t want to hear the answer I feared: no. I couldn’t imagine what it was like growing up without any kind of happiness.

“What are you thinking about?” Harry asked me. This time he ducked his head down to where my gaze had fallen to the floor. I looked up again the enchant lamp in the room was dimming, responding to our mood, no doubt. “You don’t look happy about whatever it is.” He commented, appearing worried.

“Um.” I started, “Well, I was thinking about how-” I stopped. I didn’t want to say anything that would make Harry feel like I was feeling sorry for him. I didn’t think he would appreciate that. “I was thinking about the Dursleys, actually.” I just went out and told him. He obviously was expecting that.

“I haven’t thought about them in almost a year.” Harry told me, sounding surprised at himself.

“I was wondering if you had any real fond memories before you came to Hogwarts.” I told him.

“Hmm.” Harry thought for a moment. “Well, the fond memories I can think of generally had bad repercussions, so they were almost not worth it.” He told me.

I leaned at against the back of the sofa and propped my chin on my hand. “Like what?”

Harry paused thinking. 

“Well, most of it was stuff that later I realised were signs that I was different, not normal, which for them was like a sin. Aunt Petunia hated my unruly hair. She would blame me for its messiness. So one time she just got fed up with it and cut all of my hair off. And mind you, Aunt Petunia is no hairdresser and it looked terrible. I was dreading going to school the next day looking like that and have the kids bully me even more. But the next day, when I woke up, my hair was just as it was before she cut it.” He smiled.

I laughed at that, remembering similar things I’d done accidentally as a kid.

“Aunt Petunia was furious and blamed me for it.” He said in a sour tone. “I was locked in the cupboard for the whole week for that.” I smiled vanished.

“Geez.” I whispered.

“Yea.” Harry agreed. “Anything that risked their normal façade was treasonous to them.”

“Where do you think they are now?” I asked.

“Who knows.” He said, offhand. “The funny thing about it though, is that the night I left Privet Drive forever, my cousin Dudley had left me a cup of tea at my door. He was never one to do favours, especially for me. When they left with Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle, I didn’t really get that my only remaining blood relatives were leaving. They didn’t seem to care if they never saw me again, except Dudley, who seemed embarrassed to be caught caring about me. Someday maybe, when Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are old and grey, I’ll find them again. But until that day, they’re nothing to me.” Harry said, not angry. I think of all the things Harry had to be angry about, this was not it. He’d long ago accepted that his mother’s sister and her husband felt no love for him.

I was silent for a moment. Then leaned forward and said, “Well, they may be related to you by blood, but they aren’t your family. Families love and care for one another. Harry, you may not have many relatives, but you have a very large family. You know that, don’t you?” I said earnestly.

He smiled and sat up towards me. 

“I do.” I grinned, not knowing what else to say. It was so hard for me not to reach out a hand and touch his knee or cross the distance and kiss him. “I’m very lucky to have been adopted by such generous hearts. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without you and your family.” Harry said, looking past me, seeing another time. “I probably wouldn’t have ever made it to the platform my first year. Your mum happened to mention the platform 9 ¾ and I followed her. She told me how to get on.” He paused. “And after my first year, I probably wouldn’t have made it back to Hogwarts without Fred and George flying that Ford Anglia, rescuing me from imprisonment.” He smiled. “And I definitely would be dead this past year, not to mention every other year, without Ron and Hermione.” I smiled this time. Ron had been so proud to tell me how he’d saved Harry from drowning and retrieved the sword of Gryffindor. Though I didn’t believe the exact events he’d told me about destroying the Horcrux. He said that Harry had opened it, it hissed, then he’d stabbed it with the sword. It seemed too easy, not to mention the significant glance I saw Harry and Ron exchange when he’d told the story, something was left out, but I figured it wasn’t worth talking about.

“Everyone in my family has saved you except me.” I pouted, not truly serious.

Harry laughed.

“Not true.” He said, serious. “They’ve saved my past. You will save my future. I couldn’t be happy in the years to come without you. Any other person would love me because of what I’ve done, not who I am. You can see me as a man not a hero…You’re also the only other person I know who knows what it was like to have their mind invaded by Voldemort.” 

I shivered remembering the year with blank periods of time and finding myself somewhere with no notion of how I’d gotten there. Then there was the knowledge that I had petrified people and might have killed someone simply by opening up to a diary. I wondered if that was one reason that made us so compatible. I bet it was why Harry felt easier talking to me than the others, because he knew I would not think he was crazy. I would not think that he was crazy, because I remember the feeling of thinking that I was crazy.

“Ginny.” Harry whispered, his voice deep in my ear. I looked up and saw Harry was close to me. I felt his hand on my cheek, brushing along my cheekbone, then through my hair. I closed my eyes, smiling slightly, feeling Harry’s touch was like taking away an itch I couldn’t scratch. Nothing would ever feel as good as it did when he touched me. I leaned my head onto the hand behind my head. Then I felt Harry’s lips on mine. I returned the kiss, feeling Harry’s nose on my cheek and my eyelashes brushed against the bridge of his nose. It was a lingering kiss, not a quick peck, but not a full snog. My hair was being messed by the hand in my hair, but it was wonderful.

I finally broke the kiss for air and leaned my head on Harry’s shoulder, my forehead on his neck, a smile on my lips. Harry lifted his other arm around my shoulders and held me. I could’ve stayed like that for an eternity.

We stayed like that for a few minutes. Though we hadn’t really done much on our date, it was fun. Just being alone and away from my family was nice. I heard a distant siren from a muggle emergency car and felt a chill from the breeze coming from the open window. It was a nice reminder of the new times we were living in now. I shivered a little. I felt Harry move and saw him pull out his wand from up his left sleeve, silently I saw him wave his wand. A second later, the drawing room door opened and a blanket floated over to us. The blanket was Gryffindor scarlet and gold, and I knew it must have come from Sirius’ room.

Harry caught the blanket and unfolded it. The sofa we were on must be enchanted to adjust to the sitters’ wishes because it subtly seemed to widen so two people could comfortably stretch out side by side. We settled ourselves on the sofa, a large pillow behind our backs and the blanket draped over us. Harry pulled me to his chest, so I turned on my side to face him. I closed my eyes, finding myself more tired than I thought. I listened to Harry’s breathing and heard faint footsteps outside of the door. My eye flipped open. I glanced up at Harry whose eyes were alert as well.

“Probably just Kreacher.” I concluded in a soft whisper. Though I was sure that was the explanation, I shifted my hand so it was at the neckline of my blouse. Now that I rarely wore witches’ robes, I kept my wand stuck down under my bra along my ribcage with the handle up under my arm. Not the most convenient, but I haven’t gotten an arm sheath or anything yet. My hand was hovering over my wand and I noticed Harry palming his own wand as the footsteps grew less faint and more distinct. They sounded heavier than an elf, too. When I realised this, I pulled my own wand out, drawing a confused gaze from Harry until my wand was visible. The footsteps were growing louder still, when I stood up and Harry after me. The blanket fell to the floor. Harry raised his wand to the chandelier, and the light dimmed, but not completely. Everything was just barely visible. Harry took my hand and pulled me behind him when the footsteps stopped at our door. I let him shield me, but made sure that I could see around him and directed my wand to the door. 

The doorknob jiggled and Harry crouched down behind the sofa, reaching back touching my shoulder to make sure I did as well. The door opened slowly, light entering from the candlelit hallway. I examined the figure there. The person was tall, rather lanky man. But the most obvious thing was that the man didn’t have his wand out.

Suddenly, Harry stood up and lifted his wand to the ceiling to brighten the light of the chandelier. It was Ron in the doorway.

Ron jumped at the sudden change in environment, but relaxed his shoulders upon seeing Harry.

“Kreacher said you two were up here.” Ron told us. I stood up and Ron’s eyes bugged out. I forgot that he hadn’t seen my blouse before we left. 

“What’s up?” Harry asked, in a slightly accusing way. Harry walked around to sit on the sofa. I followed him, picking the blanket up off the floor.

Ron looked at us for a second, sitting together on the sofa.

“I thought you said you were going to Hog’s Head.” Ron said, accusing. He walked in and sat on an oversized chair that faced the sofa. I felt like we were being interrogated.

“We were until Michael Corner decided to become the world’s biggest prat.” I told my brother. “Checking up on us?”

Ron shrugged. “I was bored. Mum was giving George a haircut and Hermione is with her parents.” I suddenly felt a little sorry for my brother. After being used to having them around all the time, Ron now had his two best friends divided in their attentions. I became a little less mad at him for interrupting our date.

“So when you didn’t find us at Hog’s Head, you immediately came here?” Harry asked. Surprising, he still seemed a little annoyed, which was unusual, usually he welcomed Ron’s company regardless of time or place. Though I guess from Harry’s perspective, he spends his whole day at work with Ron, so it’s not like they never see each other.

Ron looked defensive. “No, I went to the Three Broomsticks, the Leaky Cauldron, and a few other places. I stopped back by home and made sure you hadn’t come back. Then realised you might’ve come here.” Ron said, proud to have been so clever. “Then I got, er, worried.” Ron said, in a quieter voice. 

“Worried?” I asked, confused, looking from Ron to Harry.

“Worried about me and his little sister alone in a large house with lots of privacy.” Harry said in an emotionless voice.

I laughed once, with little humour. 

“Right.” I commented, looking at Harry. “What else could two people be doing in a place like this? Certainly not anything good, no doubt.” I said sarcastically.

Ron shifted uncomfortably.

“So are you satisfied?” I asked, gesturing to the two of us. Ron looked at me. My hair was tangled in the back and he frowned looking at my blouse. I sighed, looking up at Harry.

“Mum said you should be home be by eleven. It’s 10:50 now.” Ron said, as his answer. I sighed again, louder this time. Of course he’d been sure to get Mum worried too.

“Then I guess we’ve no choice.” I stood up, automatically about to extend my hand to Harry, and then remembered. I resheathed my wand down my blouse when Ron turned back toward the door. Harry watched in the corner of his eye as I fiddle with the positioning. I picked up my bag and began digging around in it as Harry and I left the room about to head downstairs.

“Kreacher’s been doing a lot of work,” Ron commented, filling the silence. “This place looks good.” I pulled my sweater out of my bag and put it on before we got home.

“Hmm.” Harry answered, indifferent to speaking at the present. Kreacher was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

“Shall Kreacher plan to see you next Monday?” He asked, as we stepped off the last few steps.

“I suppose so.” Harry said. “Thanks.”

“Safe Journey, Master.” Kreacher wished. Ron opened the door and walked through.

“Thanks, again.” Harry said. “Good bye, Kreacher.”


	9. Plans Revealed

The lights were all on when we arrived at The Burrow. I had a feeling that the rest of my family was sitting up in the kitchen waiting for us. Ron led the way to the front door, like a proud hunter coming home with his kill. Just before Ron got to the door, Harry surprised me by taking hold of my hand.

I walked through the door to find Mum, Dad, Percy and George all sitting around the kitchen table. I assumed Percy was visiting for dinner and not to witness Harry and I arriving home from our first official date. Ron walked in and took a seat at the table, which left Harry and I standing together at the door simply looking at my family. They were all staring back.

“Ron?” Harry said, calmly. “Might I have a word with you upstairs?” Harry gestured to the stairs with his head.

“Sure, mate.” Ron said calmly back as he stood and made for the stairs.

Harry took a half step before realising he still held my hand. He looked down at me, briefly glancing at the table of observers, and then leaned down and kissed my cheek. I kissed his at the same time. 

“Good night.” Harry said quietly in my ear.

“Good night.” I said softly. It was weird coming home from a date to the same house. Again, I felt how odd our relationship was. It was also weird that my family was witnessing it, but perhaps that was more ordinary. I had no experience dating while living at home. When Harry and I got together originally, we were at school, where only Ron was there to witness us. Over the summer, we’d split up so there was nothing for my family to witness for the short while that Harry was here. Now, Harry and I both lived in a home together permanently, we were dating, and my family was observing the whole thing. What made it so odd, though, was that I hadn’t really spoken about it to any of them except Ron and George. Mum and Dad knew, obviously, but we’d never discussed it or anything.

When I heard his footfalls go up to the second flight of stairs, I turned to face my family, ready for their questions now that Harry was out of earshot. Unwillingly, I went over and sat down.

“Ginny, that was a pretty weak-arse kiss you just got.” George commented, a grin on his face. Mum smacked the back of his head for his language.

I looked at him, smiling, “I’m sorry, George, you’ll forgive me if my kissing prowess is weakened somewhat by my parents and three brothers observing. Next time I’ll try harder, ok?” I teased.

“So did you guys have a nice time?” Dad asked, trying to be interested. George shifted uncomfortably, I assume from imagining what the result of ‘trying harder’ would be.

“Eventually.” I told them all. “We tried going to Hog’s Head, but, um, that didn’t turn out to be the best place to be out and about.”

“What happened?” Mum asked.

I answered vaguely and reluctantly. “There were just a lot of old Hogwarts folk. Harry isn’t comfortable there yet. People don’t know how to act around him.” Everything I said was true, but not exactly relevant to the reason we left.

“So what did you do instead?” Mum said, more curious. Almost too curious.

“We went to Grimmauld Place, had tea and sandwiches and just talked for a while. Until Ron came.” I punctuated. Percy and George had exchanged glances when I said that we’d gone to Harry’s Grimmauld house, and then they looked sceptical about the tea and talking part. Of course, they, like Ron, couldn’t fathom an honourable guy keeping his hands to himself in a female’s company. Though I guess Harry didn’t keep his hands completely to himself, but it was very chaste all the same.

Mum had a guarded look on her face. I couldn’t really get a read on her expression.

“What did you talk about?” She asked, sweetly. That irritated me. I wanted to say, none of your business, but held my tongue until I could answer nicely. I got the impression that this was a test, because if I couldn’t say what we’d been talking about, then they’d assume we hadn’t been talking.

Percy and George looked at each other again when I didn’t answer immediately.

“Lots of stuff. Harry was talking about what he would do with Grimmauld place, because he didn’t think he’d ever want to actually live in it. We talked about maybe trying to turn it into an orphanage of sorts for kids whose parents had died. Maybe setting up a program where people like the Diggory’s or Neville’s Gran, who lost their children, could be matched with children with no parents. That kind of thing.” I shrugged. “Then we talked about the Dursleys. I wanted to hear about his life before Hogwarts.” I finished, trying to give a slice of content.

Mum looked up. “I think that the orphanage idea sounds wonderful.” Mum said. “I’d like to help too, if you guys are serious about putting it together.”

“I think we are.” I said. “I think Harry would enjoy helping to prevent children from growing up in an unloved environment, like he did.”

“I could help getting the proper permits and such from the ministry.” Percy said, looking up, no longer mocking my words with George. “Those things can be rather tricky sometimes.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Perce.” I said. I’d sometimes forgotten about my brother Percy since he’d basically emancipated from us over two years ago. I’d, of course, forgiven him, but it was odd being around him now, like I was just now getting to know him as a person again. I never really spent time with him before, not really. He was five when I was born and was always chasing after Bill and Charlie, not having time for me. I didn’t take it personally. I was always chasing after Ron who was chasing after Fred and George. Once I got older and everyone was in school, though, they all paid attention to me, except Percy, who always seemed to have better things to do. I knew he was being helpful to try to make it up to me, and that, at least, meant he cared.

“I think we can all agree that it’s a terrific idea.” Dad said, “but I hope that you’ll not be leaving Harry by himself to work on it when you leave.” He gave me a look like maybe I’d bitten off more than I could chew.

“Leave?” I asked, and then remembered. School. Right. I took a deep breath. “Right, well. I also wanted to talk to you about that.” I started. Trying to avoid George’s significant glance, but couldn’t. He was smiling slightly, I think he had been wondering how long I could go without telling Mum and Dad. “I’ve been thinking that I, er, that – ” I stopped, not sure how to phrase it so it didn’t seem like I was asking permission. So I started over. 

“Mum. Dad.” I looked at each in turn. “I know I want to be a Quidditch player. I’m good and that’s what I want to do. To do that, I need to begin training, not another year of Hogwarts.” I said quickly before I chickened out. “I don’t need any NEWTs for Quidditch and I am going to start training with the Holyhead Harpies in September.” I announced, then braced myself for they reaction. I looked at Percy, who expectedly looked surprise and a little upset. George was just smiling.

“Ginny.” Dad said, calmly. “It’s just one more year, finish your education and you can do whatever you want.”

“No, Dad.” I told him. “I’m not going back to Hogwarts.”

“You will not drop out just because of what happened this year!” Mum shouted, standing up to lean over me across the table. “Even George _started_ his seventh year!”

“Mom,” I defended. “In case you haven’t noticed, I got more out of my first six years that George did.” I said, then turned to George. “No offence.” I said, quickly.

“None taken.” He said, calmly, a slight grin on his face. I think he enjoyed hearing Mum yell at someone who wasn’t him.

“I got three more OWLs than George, too.” I told Mum. I heard footsteps down the stairs, presumably Ron and Harry had finished their conversation.

“Ginny, dear.” Mum started. “I know you think you’ll be all alone this year at Hogwarts, but, really, dropping out isn’t the answer.”

“No, Mum.” I answered. “Last year, I was alone. I was forced to go to Hogwarts and was put through _so much_.” I told her. She flinched, I’d told her about the trouble I’d gotten into at school. But I hadn’t told her all about being locked in the dungeons, she didn’t need to hear that. “But that’s not really why I’m not going back. I don’t want to waste a year in school learning stuff I don’t need to know. I want to start living my life. I want to start moving in a good and happy direction, which won’t happen if I’m forced to walk those halls haunted by my own memories of what happened there.” My voice was beginning to crack. I was imagining eating three meals a day in the room where my brother was memorialised. I just couldn't do it. 

I heard Ron and Harry coming down the last flight of stairs. When Ron and Harry came in, they knew clearly what was going on.

“So you told them?” Ron asked, grinning crookedly, crinkling his face a bit when he looked at Mum.

“Ginny.” Dad said in a cool voice. “This isn’t because of…” His voice trailed out and his eyes rolled in Harry’s direction.

“Dad.” I said calmly. “This is about me starting my career early. An athlete’s career isn’t as long as most, so I need to start early. It will be harder for me to make a team if I don’t train this fall and try out in the spring.”

Mum and Dad both started speaking again at the same time. I raised my hands and stood up, and walked away from the table.

“My decision is made.” I said, looking at them, and they stopped talking. “I’ll move in with George if you guys don’t want me here, but I’m not going back to Hogwarts. I’m not asking permission, I’m telling you. My decision is made.” I said, then walked upstairs, catching a glimpse of encouraging grimaces from George, Ron and Harry. I trotted upstairs and quietly closed my door. My birthday was in a month and I could not wait to be free of the bounds of being considered a child. If I were seventeen and I had told Mum and Dad that I wasn’t going to Hogwarts, they might’ve respected my decision more. I was absolutely determined though. I did not have the mental sanity to live inside those castle walls again. Too much had happened there in the past. Tonight was probably not the best night to have told them, either, after asserting my independence by going on my first official date with Harry, but it was done now and couldn’t be undone.

I got ready for bed, hanging up my blouse in my closet and taking out the earrings I wore. I slipped on my pyjamas, grabbed my bathroom bag and went upstairs to brush my teeth and wash my face. I ran into Harry as I was coming out. Harry apparently slept in his pants, no shirt. His muscled chest was lightly dusted with dark hair. I concentrated on keeping my eyes on his face. He was clearly surprised to see me only wearing small shorts and a camisole. I was also highly conscious that I wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Hi.” I said, lamely, dragging my eyes away from the nicely muscled chest, again. I smiled, even though it was dark in the hall. The only light was from the moon shining through the window by the stairs. Harry’s glasses glinted in the faint light.

“Hey.” Harry said. I saw that he was smiling too. I leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, and he leaned against the railing of the stairs three feet away.

“Tonight was nice.” I said, “Except for the most recent events, the part with Mum yelling.”

“Yea, I was surprised that you told them now.” Harry told me. “I’d’ve thought you’d wait.” 

I laughed once.

“I’d planned to.” I admitted. “I guess I was tired of keeping it in.” I shrugged. 

“That makes since.” Harry said, nodding his understanding. “They calmed down a bit, after you went upstairs.” He told me. “Percy was trying to stay out of it, but I think he agreed with your mum about staying in school.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” I said, softer, realising that Mum and Dad’s room was just a floor above. “So did you hear Mum yelling from Ron’s room?” I asked.

Harry chuckled softly, “No, we were in my room.” Harry said, a little oddly. It was still odd for him to feel like it was his room. Percy hadn’t lived in it for a while, but I knew it would take a while until Harry really felt like it was his room.

“Did you have a nice talk?” I asked, curious about what Harry said to Ron.

Harry smiled. 

“Yes. And that is between me and my best friend.” He laughed once.

“Hmph.” I pouted. I’d figured Harry had talked to Ron about backing off of us or something. Surely I could hear about that? I wondered why Harry wasn’t going to tell me. Harry laughed softly at my expression.

“Well,” Harry said, standing up off the railing, “I should be getting ready for bed.” He said this, walking toward me and the bathroom.

“Mhmm.” I said, not moving. I wanted him to walk close by me to tempt him to giving me a good nice kiss. Though I had joked about it to George, I kind of agreed that the kiss I’d gotten from him earlier was weak-arsed. Though I understood the modesty in front of my parents. I straightened up a little, positioning myself halfway in front of the bathroom door.

“I had a nice time with you tonight too, even with the disruption of that hunk of testosterone.” Harry said smiling, referring to Michael. He was walking toward me slowly.

“I’m glad.” I told him, tilting my head up to look at him as he got closer. We were a few inches apart. I held strong and kept to my promise not to initiate contact. Harry seemed to remember this after we’d been still for a few seconds. I smiled gently.

In the darkness, I could feel rather than see Harry move toward me. I felt the breeze of his soft breath and the heat from his body as he drew closer. Our lips touched and I felt his bare chest through my thin camisole. Harry placed a hand on my lower back, touching some skin between my shorts and shirt, which sent tingles up my spine and made me swallow a moan. Matching him, I placed a hand on Harry’s side by his ribcage, pulling closer. My hands were cool on his warm skin. I felt him shiver against me, his body drawing toward the warmth of my chest. Harry broke the kiss for air and returned taking my upper lip between two of his. I closed my mouth over his lower lip, running my tongue along its edge. I pressed my chest against his more firmly, and ran my fingers up his back to feel his shoulder muscles.

Then we both heard a door open upstairs. It was like pouring a bucket of cold water over us. We parted, and I tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the middle stair that creaked. Behind me I heard the bathroom door close softly. I made it to my room, quietly closing the door and laying on my bed. My heart was pumping with adrenaline; it took me a while to calm down and go to sleep.


	10. Planning

The next day I was nervous to face Mum. I was worried she’d give me chores, or, even worse, maybe not speak to me at all. Surprisingly, she pretended as if we’d never had the conversation about my choice to not return to Hogwarts. Since she was letting it go, I did as well, following her lead. I wondered if my mentioning moving into George’s flat shocked her enough that she decided not to fight me on this.

That evening when Harry got home, I’d made a list of things we should do to get moving on for Grimmauld place. I’d written to Madame Pomfrey to see if she was at all interested helping us, and started making a list of others we might get help from. Hermione stopped by and we told her about the plan and she and Ron joined us in the plans too. As one would expect, Hermione was a wonderful person to have on a project. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, she had proposals written and was working with Percy on Ministry permits. Every evening, Harry and Ron would get home from work excited to hear what’d we done with the day.

A week before my birthday, I received a reply from Madame Pomfrey. She decided with great struggle to stay at Hogwarts this year, explaining that things were troubled enough at Hogwarts and she didn’t want to leave McGonagall empty handed. However, she did recommend a friend from her Healing academy, who Madame Pomfrey had already written to and said she was interested. Her name was Elsie Enjoie and was a young widow with no children. 

When I’d finished reading, I handed the letter it to Hermione, who was sitting on Bill’s bed, so she could file it away with our other correspondence. Bill’s small, old room had become our makeshift office. As Hermione put the letter away, Harry and Ron came trotting down the stairs, having just changed out of their work robes. They came into Bill’s room and sat on the carpet, which was really the only space left.

“Madame Pompfrey is going to stay at Hogwarts.” I told them. “But she has a friend who is interested. Elsie Enjoie.” I told them. “I guess we should meet her. Once she’s on board, we can actually bring some kids in.” 

“Well, that’s good.” Harry responded. “If we can’t have someone we know, at least we can have someone who is trusted by someone we know.” I nodded, agreeing that we could trust Madame Pomfrey’s judgement. She had fixed up every one of us too many times to count.

“Hermione, didn’t you get an owl today?” Ron asked. “Thomas Hatsley said he’d processed your request.”

Hermione nodded, as she pulled out that letter. “The Department of Social Services finally got back to us. We’ve gotten a list of families impacted by Death Eater activities. It’s pretty extensive. But I think we should send out letters to the folks letting them know what we’re doing and the assistance and services that will be offered.” Hermione suggested, handing the letter to Ron and Harry for them peruse.

“And we’ve already gotten a dozen or so families that we know that want to volunteer to help. Once we talk to Elsie Enjoie, we can make up a firm plan to move forward.” Harry said, taking the letter Hermione passed to him. “Ginny, do you want to write to her and ask her to meet us at Grimmauld Place a week from this Saturday, say, noon?” He asked, looking up from the letter, our eyes meeting for a second. 

“Sure.” I nodded, then turned around to grab a blank roll of parchment. As I wrote, Harry, Hermione and Ron started talking about an orphanage in London that was Ministry supported and was struggling to accommodate the amount of kids. They logistically thought out how many people could the house comfortably hold. They theorised that it could hold one nursery with ten cribs, eight kids ages three to seven, and eight kids over the age of seven, then for day care they could handle approximately forty additional kids. Ideally, once the older children went to Hogwarts, they could find families to stay with for the holidays, if not, Harry planned to either build an addition to Grimmauld Place or buy another building. I loved Harry’s ambitious ideas. He was so focused on creating a place that would have saved him from growing up with the Dursley’s.

When I’d finished the letter to Elsie Enjoie, I whistled for Pig. He came fluttering through the room, feathers trailing in his wake, and landed on my knee. Hermione gave Pig an exasperated look and brushed the little grey feathers off her paper. I tied the scroll to his leg and explained that it was for Elsie Enjoie, and he flew off out the opened window. I watched Pig slowly fade to a dot in the darkening sky. The horizon was flushed red and orange with lavender clouds brushing through. It looked beautiful. Gazing out made me want to jump on my broom and chase the sun.

It was Wednesday, which meant that Teddy was coming by with Dromeda. Hermione left to go fetch her parents for dinner and Ron left with her. I neatly stacked all of my papers on the floor and went downstairs with Harry. Life had taken on a nice routine, though Mum still had yet to say anything about my decision not to go back to Hogwarts over the past three weeks, which utterly surprised me. Whenever Harry and I were in the room with her, I noticed that she observed us closely. A few times, I sensed that she wanted to talk to me and say something about my relationship with Harry, but she somehow managed to hold her tongue, which was totally out of character for her.

Harry and I had been rather busy working on the orphanage project for the past three and a half weeks and that meant that though we spent a lot of time working near each other, we didn’t spend much working on our relationship. Harry would give me a kiss goodnight, and hold my hand occasionally, but we didn’t have any exciting moments by the bathroom like the night of our first horrifically wonderful date. 

In no time at all, Hermione and Ron returned with the Grangers. I could see a significant difference in them from six weeks ago when they returned from Australia. They’d gradually become more alert and aware, as well as relaxed. When they’d first gotten back, they were really jumpy, startling from a chair scrapping on the stone floor. Last week, Jeanne, Hermione’s mother, told an anecdote about how little Hermione at six somehow hid her father’s favourite hat on the top of a large bookcase. That was a break-through for them. Gradually, they’d figured out how to unlock their memory from Hermione’s charm.

The most amusing part of the whole thing was the change in how they related to Ron. Ron initially was very formal and attentive to the Grangers, who themselves seemed rather indifferent to him. However, in the last two or three weeks at dinners, their behaviours shifted. Jeanne would ask Ron serious questions, which Ron would do his best to answer and Hugh, Hermione’s father, teased Ron endlessly about getting the short end of the stick for brains. It was wonderful. 

 

The very next day I heard back from Elsie, confirming that she would meet us at Grimmauld Place on Saturday. It was a relief to finally have a person to spearhead the orphanage, because it meant that this was actually going to happen. By the time I came down for lunch, Hermione had arrived, and I told her of Elsie’s reply.

“Once we get her settled in, we can start bringing in some of the children from the London Orphanage for Wizards and Witches,” Hermione said. “We’ll need to get others to help her handle them. For now, you and I can help, but eventually you’ll need to train and I’ll be at school.”

“Yeah,” I said. I’d thought about that and couldn’t immediately think of people for the job. “Maybe Elsie will have people in mind.” 

Hermione nodded, absently. She looked up from her papers and stared out the window. I looked in that direction and saw nothing interesting or unusual. As her staring continued, longer than a typical thoughtful pause, I made the executive decision to free her from her thoughts.

“Knut for your thoughts?” I interjected, smiling encouragingly.

Hermione slowly turned to look at me. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then she tried again.

“Has Ron said anything to you about the two of us?” She said, quietly. I blinked surprised by that direction of thoughts.

“No, not really.” I told her. “He mostly just talks about work, Quidditch, and the orphanage. Why?”

She sighed a little. “I guess because we don’t really talk about anything more than that either.” She said. “I’ve kind of been hoping to discuss things about this next year, how things will work when I’m commuting to Hogwarts.” She paused. “It’s so weird trying to have a relationship and living at home. Our dates just aren’t very much fun right now, but neither is hanging around the house full of people.” She and Ron had gone out a few times, but they had similar, if not less extreme reactions from those who recognised them that Harry and I did.

“I think that’s just something that you have to figure out as time goes by.” I commented. “But I definitely understand how you feel. I can’t wait to get moving on the orphanage and to start training.”


	11. Birthday

Hermione and I continued talking about our relationship challenges and wondered what both Harry and Ron were thinking in terms of our future. Between our girl talks and our orphanage planning, we were very busy. 

And then, before I knew it, I was waking up on my birthday. 

I’d been waiting for this day for so long, it was odd now that it was finally here. When I first opened my eyes, I snagged my wand from my bedside table and jumped out of bed. I directed my sheets to make my bed with my wand, feeling rather clever. Then I got dressed and slapped some make-up on before going downstairs for breakfast.

When I arrived at the bottom of the stairs, there was a modest pile of presents and a crowd of people waiting for me. Bill and Fleur were here, and Charlie had gotten in last night for my party tonight. George was here too, if a little bedraggled, he obviously just woken up in time to greet me. His hair was sticking up on the side and his eyes were not fully open. The first person to embrace me, though, was Harry. 

I raised my arms and hugged his shoulders and he held me around my waist with one hand reaching up to hold my head to his chest. I savoured the feeling of his warm body pressed against mine. I tuck my head into his neck and closed my eyes, contented.

“Happy Birthday, Ginny.” He said softly in my ear. His breath tickled my neck. I couldn’t help smiling.

“Thanks.” I whispered back. Harry released me and Mum attacked me with a hug next. My father, brothers, Hermione and Fleur all hugged me in turn with birthday wishes before I could sit and eat. Once I’d had my tea and a few bites of toast, Mum handed me a small box. I opened it up and saw a delicate gold watch, very similar to the one Mum wore. I lifted it from the box and found it weighed next to nothing. It was very beautiful, and it looked like it cost a great deal. I looked up at Mum and then glanced at Dad. I think they knew what I was about to say.

“Hush, dear.” Mum said. “Your aunt Muriel found it in her house and sent it to me. Apparently she never liked to wear watches.” I smiled, feeling better.

“Thanks.” I said, “I love it.” I turned my wrist around and put it on.

I got a purse from Hermione that had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it, to my glee. I’d always had envied hers. Ron, George and Charlie gave me a pair of nice Quidditch pants that all the pros wear. Percy had sent a gift, but was called into work, so he couldn't be here. It was a book on Quidditch drills and exercises, surprisingly thoughtful, for him. By this time, Mum and Dad were directing my brothers to help get things set up for tonight. I felt Harry, who was sitting next to me, take my hand.

“My present for you is upstairs.” He told me. I smiled as we gathered up my gifts and went upstairs to drop them off in my room, and then went up to Harry’s room. As we walked in, Harry waved his wand and several things on the floor flew in the air out of the way. I went and sat on his bed, waiting.

Harry went into his wardrobe and pulled out two parcels, then came to sit next to me. The first one was larger, and the other was thin and flat. He handed me the larger one first.

I opened it up and saw that it was an arm sheath for my wand. It strapped to my forearm and had a slot to hold my wand. 

“I thought that you might not like having to reach down your shirt to get your wand all the time. Not that I have any problem watching you do so.” He joked. I laughed softly, “But I don’t think that would work very well with turtlenecks.” He teased.

I laughed once again.

“Thanks.” I said, picking it up and slipping it onto my forearm. I slid my wand into the holder, once my wand was in place, the sheath and my wand disappeared. I could feel the strap around my arm, but you couldn’t tell it was there unless you held my arm. I removed my wand and the sheath appeared again. When it came into view, I noticed a tag. I read it and found out that it could also be used on the thigh or calf, in case you were wearing shorts or a skirt. That was handy.

I wanted to hug him or kiss him to thank him for my gift, but I was still keeping to my rule about him initiating contact first, which had turned out to be useful. Things had gotten better on that front. He was getting better about initiating affection. Harry hugged me regularly and kissed me occasionally. 

I was looking up at Harry and realised that he was purposely not kissing me, despite the fact that he knew I wanted to. His grinned mischievously. He was teasing me! With the same smile, he handed me the second parcel. I opened it up and found a small plain mirror. I looked up at him, confused.

He smiled. “I got this back from Aberforth when we went to Hog’s Head.” He told me, though that didn’t explain much. “Sirius gave it to me. Only it was part of a set.” He paused and pulled out a similar small mirror. “I had mine repaired. I broke the mirror after he died and managed to save one of the largest shard.” He explained this but still didn’t tell me what was special about them. I watched him as he looked down into his mirror and waited. “Look into your mirror.” He said. I did, and jerked. I wasn’t looking at me, but Harry.

“Sirius said that he and my dad used to communicate this way when they were in separate detentions.” Harry explained, grinning widely. He looked up at me. “They work over infinite distances.” He told me. “These mirrors saved Ron, Hermione, Mr. Olivander, Griphook, Luna and me when we were trapped at the Malfoy Mansion. I had my shard and asked for help. Aberforth heard me and sent Dobby to help us.” Harry went on to tell me the saga. I knew Dobby had died, but I’d never heard the whole story. When he finished the story, he looked up and shook himself out of the trance he’d been in. “So now, if you ever need me, or just want to talk, Ginny,” he segued, “all you have to do is look in the mirror.” 

“Thanks, Harry.” I said thickly, tears in my eyes from the story he’d just told. Looking up at him, I couldn’t resist myself, so I threw my arms around him and gave him a big kiss. Harry wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. He laid back on the bed so that I was halfway lying on top of him. Breaking the kiss slowly, I whispered into his neck, “I broke my rule.” 

Harry rumbled a laugh, stroking his hands along my back.

“There’s something else I want to talk to you about.” He started. I slowly pulled back from Harry and propped up on an elbow to look at him. 

When he opened his mouth to speak again, the door knocked and creaked open. Ron walked in slowly, which was odd, the slow part, at least. Normally he’s banging doors open trying to interrupt Harry and me.

“Mum needs your help in the kitchen, Ginny.” He said, softly. He actually sounded sorry for interrupting us, which was odd for him, and shot an apologetic glance at us before exiting. 

I blinked at the doorway that was now empty. “Wow.” I said, showing my surprise.

Harry was looking there to, a slight grin on his face. I wondered if Harry had something to do with Ron’s apologetic attitude.

“I guess I’ll talk to you later, then.” Harry said, wistfully. I was about to protest, but he shook his head. “No, no. Later.” He smiled, enjoying my exaggerated pout.

I went downstairs, stopping to drop the mirror off in my room and wearing my sheath. I helped Mum with preparing the food. My party was going to be something of a to-do. We were putting up the tent that we used for Bill and Fleur’s wedding. We'd invited a lot of people, almost everyone we knew, so it was some of a reunion of the survivors of the Battle of Hogwarts, as people had begun to call it. Luna and her father were coming. Everyone from the old DA was coming, excluding Eloise Midgen for obvious reasons. I had debated inviting Cho, but Mum didn’t want me to be rude, so she made me. Who knew if she’d actually come. I hadn’t forgotten what I’d seen in Hog’s Head weeks ago. I thought I’d seen Cho walking calmly away from the table where Rita Skeeter had been sitting. I knew Cho had no reason to like her, except for the knowledge that Cho fancied the idea of being a writer someday. That worried me. What motivation could Skeeter have to be friend to some one like Cho? The only reason I could think of was the fact that she and Harry had been an item for a brief period of time, but, of course, that could also be the reason that I was overly suspicious of her.

We estimated that about fifty people were coming. George had some old friends in a band, who had volunteered to play for us. I was pretty excited. About an hour and a half before the guests would be arriving, I went upstairs to change. Mum had sewn up an old dress to fit me that was actually very pretty. It was deep blue, not quite navy, capped sleeves with a low back and a scoop neckline with a strip of fabric across the back of my shoulders to keep the sleeves from falling off my shoulders. It was floor length and flared nicely from the hips. I fixed my hair straight with a little wave in it. Once I’d finished getting dressed, I went downstairs and people were already arriving. I carefully walked in my high silver wedges through the garden and toward the tent. The first person I saw was Luna. 

“Luna!” I called out. She turned and skipped over to me. She was wearing a red silk dress with a large white crinoline underneath. She snagged me into a hug.

“Happy Birthday!” She wished me, and then examined me. “You look beautiful. Ginny, you should be careful, though. New research says that wrackspurts are attracted to the colour blue. So if your head gets to fuzzy you might want to go change.” 

I smiled at her, endearingly. “Thanks, Luna. I’ll keep that in mind.” Together, we continued to the tent. When I arrived, most of the heads turned towards me and began their way to me. I was greeted by Parvati and Padma. Hannah Abbot gave me a hug. Other Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws wished me a happy birthday. Seamus and Dean talked to me for a bit. Dean seemed to be getting a little too friendly, and kept looking down at my dress. I was beginning to be rather uncomfortable when Neville showed up behind me. He graciously saved me by asking me to dance. I looked over and saw the band hadn’t begun to play yet, but I walked away from Dean and Seamus anyways.

Neville led me to the table with the firewhiskey and the butterbutter. I picked up a bottle and twisted the top off. 

“Thanks, Neville.” I said, sincerely. “I needed rescuing.”

He laughed. “I could tell by the polite smile you put on.” He told me. “Happy Birthday, Ginny.” He said, looking me in the eyes. It was hard to forget that Neville fancied me when he looked at me like that. I was beginning to feel a little less comfortable. I really liked Neville. He was truly a wonderful person, but I had no interest in him as anything but a friend.

“Thanks.” I smiled. “It took long enough to get here.” I joked. I looked around for Harry, Hermione or Ron.

“So Harry and Ron say that you’ve been pretty busy working on setting up an orphanage.” Neville said, obviously trying to engage me in a comfortable topic of conversation.

“Yea, Hermione and I work on it during the day and Harry and Ron help at night. We’re almost ready to get some kids moved in.” I told him. “Though the whole thing was Harry’s idea.” I added, making sure to give credit where it was due.

“That’s really cool, Ginny,” Neville commented. “If you ever never any help, I’d like to get involved, Gran too.” He smiled.

“That’d be wonderful.” I smiled back. “Another element to the orphanage is a daycare for families that can’t afford to stay home with their children. So we could use help during the day watching kids, until we get funding to hire people.” I told him, “Did your Gran come?” I asked looking around. 

“Yea, she’s over there talking to Hagrid.” He pointed. I followed his gaze. We went over and spoke to Mrs. Longbottom and Hagrid. I was enjoying the conversation, but missing Harry. Just as the band was starting up with their first song, I felt a warm hand run down my arm from shoulder to my hand. I turned and saw Harry, looking wonderful in a navy suit. He was eyeing the low back of my dress. 

“What kept you?” I asked, turning to him. Facing me now, he eyed me fully up and down. I tried to contain the shiver from his hot gaze.

He grinned enigmatically into my eyes. I scowled at him briefly before hugging him, breaking my rule again, deciding that I would not keep to my rule on my birthday. Hugging in this dress was wonderful because I could feel Harry’s hand on the bare skin of my low back. Harry chuckled at my acquiescence and rubbed circles on my back with his thumb.

“Shut it. It’s my birthday.” I defended, and Harry turned his face into my hair. “Shouldn’t I get what I want on my birthday?” He took a deep breath against me before chuckling again. 

“Yes, you should.” He agreed, his voice muffled by my hair in her face.

When I pulled back, he took my hand. 

“Dance with me?” He asked. I raised an eyebrow, knowing that he didn’t like to dance, from personal observation at the Yule Ball. I, however, loved to dance.

“Love to.” He walked me out to the middle of the floor and began to dance with me, one hand in mine, the other on my waist. I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and touched my forehead to his cheek. I never understood why guys didn’t like dancing. Dancing is basically cuddling while standing up to music. Some of the older folks were watching, and the younger folks began to pair off. I saw Ron and Hermione had paired up. Ron dressed similarly to Harry and Hermione in a black slinky dress, her hair in a cascade of curls.

“Hermione looks pretty.” I observed, enjoying being able to hold onto Harry for longer than a hug. 

“Yes,” he agreed. “But you look beautiful.” He told me in my ear.

“Thanks,” I whispered. We were silent for a moment. Harry’s arm around my waist tightened gradually until our bodies were almost touching. “I thought you didn’t like dancing.” I commented.

“Why?” He asked, his voice curious.

“Well, you only danced once at the Yule Ball and when you did it was because you had to, and then you didn’t dance at all at Bill and Fleur’s wedding.” I explained.

“Well,” he started. “Forgive me, Parvati is a lovely girl, but I didn’t much fancy dancing with her at the Yule Ball. At Bill and Fleur’s wedding, Ron specifically told me not dance with you, not to mention that I had a lot on my mind at the time.” 

“No kidding.” I agreed with that last bit, but was a bit mad about the former. “ Ron shouldn’t have done that. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to dance with you that night. It nearly killed me being there watching everyone dance with the person they loved, but not me. Ron and Hermione were dancing. Bill and Fleur were dancing, and I wasn’t dancing with you.” I squeezed my arms around him once. 

“Especially after,” I continued. “when you had to leave so suddenly. It would have been nice to have that memory of you.” Tears pricked my eyes, remembering my longing and fear for Harry when he’d left. The last time I’d seen Harry before I arrived through the Hog’s Head passage to Hogwarts was as he was Disapparating with Hermione and Ron at the wedding. After that, I spent the whole year wondering if I’d ever see any of them again.

“I wish I could go back and tell Ron to shove it.” He said, his voice rough with emotion. He pulled me tighter to him in a pleasant way. “I never really understood the appeal of dancing until I imagined dancing with you.” His hand at my waist moved to toy with the ends of my hair down my back. 

“How could I turn down an opportunity to hold you all night?” Harry said softly in my ear. I closed my eyes, enjoying hearing him say that. Weeks ago, he wouldn’t have shared that bit of his feelings with me. He may have wanted to, but he wouldn’t have.

“Harry,” I breathed, eyes still closed. “You never need a reason to hold me.” 

He rumbled in his chest, tightening the arm once again. I wrapped my arm over his shoulders, hugging closer.

When the next song started up, Harry pulled away. Confused, I looked up and saw Bill there, who had obviously just tapped him on the shoulder.

“Mind if I cut in?” Bill asked. His handsome, scarred face looked rather charming to me.

Harry smiled.

“Sure.” He said, obliging, though his eyes were reluctant. I smiled. He stepped back, keeping my hand. He kissed my cheek quickly, then passed my hand to Bill.

Bill took his place. Bill was taller than Harry, so I rested my head on my big brother’s chest.

“He’s a good guy, Ginny.” Bill said, approving. “You’re lucky.”

“I know.” I agreed. Bill was a very good dancer. I’d forgotten how graceful he’d been at his own wedding.

“Ginny,” Bill started again. “I want you to know that I’m really excited for you to start training with the Harpies. If you need anything, I’ll be here.” Bill always was the sensitive one. I smiled.

“I know and thanks.” I told him. “I love you, biggest brother.”

He chuckled. “I love you too, Gin.”

After that, we didn’t talk that much. Bill twirled me around a bit as the music picked up. When that song was over, Charlie took Bill’s place. Charlie wasn’t as smooth a dancer as Bill but he tried. He was goofy enough to pull it off. He was very excited about my plans for the future, too. On some level, I think Charlie regretted not going out for England’s Quidditch team, so me going out for the Harpies was a vicarious experience for him.

Percy had his turn with me. We didn’t talk much. Oddness between us lingered from our three-year estrangement, not to mention that Percy was a dreadful dancer. He barely moved his feet. 

Thankfully, George cut in a bit early, before the song was up. 

Dancing with George was easy, all I had to do was keep up. He swung me around like I was a rag doll. We laughed the whole time.

“I saw you dancing with Angelina earlier.” I commented. My eyebrows raised in suggestion.

George nodded nonchalantly, but I saw a smile creeping on his lips.

“You guys spending much time together?” I asked. He’d mentioned once or twice that he’d met up with her throughout the past weeks. Then I remembered the rumpled state of him this morning and grinned mischievously. George contained his expression to a serene one, not giving anything away in manner, though his silence spoke volumes.

“She make you happy?” I asked, knowing for George that was important above all else. He twirled me around again, and I lost view of his face for a second. When I faced him again, I held his shoulders and looked at his face deciphering. He looked down at me, his brown eyes identical to mine. He didn’t say anything at all, but I got my answer. “Good.” I said, approving. I heard George chuckle. He knew I understood him.

George danced with me for two songs. The second one was slower. I knew that the second dance wasn’t for George but for Fred. Ron didn’t cut in. I knew during that song, everyone in my family was remembering our Fred. When the next song started, I kissed George’s cheek before accepting Ron’s hand, since it was clear that my brothers were playing pass the baby. Dancing with my youngest brother was nice in an odd way. I was definitely closest to Ron than any other of my brothers, not just because of the closeness of our ages, but the experiences we’d shared. Ron didn’t talk much at all during our dance. I was pleasantly surprised with how well he danced. I told him so and he seemed genuinely surprised and pleased. I laughed, Ron wasn’t accustomed to getting compliments on his gracefulness.

As this song was ending, I was ready to sit down. I’d finally made it through all of my brothers, but then I saw Dad walking toward me. I suppressed a sigh and gave my father a dance. When that song ended, he led me to a large table with my cake on it. My guests sang “Happy Birthday,” and we cut the cake. I got my piece and randomly sat down at a table, grateful to the masterfully comfortable shoes I was wearing, because otherwise I would have surely perished.

Ron, Hermione and Harry joined me at the table I chose. Minutes later, we were joined by Neville, Luna, Angelina, George, and Alicia Spinnet. We talked and ate our food. When we’d about finished, Ron and Hermione got up to dance. George and Angelina went out on the floor right behind them. Lee Jordan showed up, and joined us for a few minutes until he got Alicia up to dance. I was surprised when a group of others came over to our table. Hannah Abbot went over to sit next to Neville, and I noticed she paid particular attention to him. I glanced at Harry, seeing that he’d observed that too. Finally, Neville picked up on that fact too and asked her to dance. Gradually, the others wandered off, Luna, quite literally. She went to go collect Garden Gnome saliva or something or other.

I kept glancing at Harry. He seemed to be waiting for something. When we were by ourselves at the table, he turned to me in his chair purposefully. I guessed that he was about to continue that conversation we almost started in his room.

I turned to face him in response.

“Ginny.” He started, scooting his chair closer to me. “The other day, Kingsley came down to my office and gave this to me.” He said, reaching into his jacket. He pulled out a folded piece of parchment and handed it to me. He continued to talk as I unfolded it. “It should’ve been given to me last year, when I turned seventeen, but with all the madness at the ministry last year, it got shuffled to the back corners.” He paused, as I looked over the parchment. It was a legal document transferring possession of a piece of property. I looked down at the bottom and saw the words “Godric’s Hollow.” I jolted and looked up.

“Your parent’s home?” I asked. “It’s yours?” 

He nodded. “It’s mine.” 

“But I thought they turned it into a memorial?” I asked, remembering hearing the story of Harry and Hermione foolishly going to Godric's Hollow on Christmas Eve.

“They did, but only because it wasn’t legally mine yet. It was held in trust by the Ministry until I was of age.” Harry explained, seeming slightly confused by the whole thing too.

I just stared at Harry for a second. Absorbing the fact that Harry’s childhood home and the exact place of his parents death was now legally his.

“What are you going to do with it?” I asked. My mind was rapidly flipping through the possibilities.

“Well,” he paused, scooting around in his chair and clasping his hands together. “I have an idea, but I wanted to run it by you.”

“Yea?” I asked, encouraging him to go on.

“I was thinking that once the orphanage is up and running, I would start restoring the house.” He paused, watching my face for reaction. “I didn’t really get much of a look at the place before, but it seemed like a decent sort of place.”

“You want to rebuild?” I asked, knowing there had to be more, otherwise he wouldn’t have wanted to run it by me. “Then what?”

“Yes,” he said, pausing again. He looked nervous. To keep his hands steady, he leaned forward and took my hands in his. My hands looked small next to his strong hands. He took a deep breath. 

“Would you live with me, Ginny? In Godric’s Hollow?” He asked. “I love living with your family, you know how much I love it, but more and more I feel like I need to be on my own. Starting a real life. If I stay with your family, I will always feel like its summer break and that I am waiting to go back to Hogwarts. I need to build a new, an adult life, but I don’t want to be away from you.” He swallowed, then started again. “I’m in love with you, Ginny, and I want you to live with me.” 

He’d never actually told me that he loved me. I kind of knew he did, but it was wonderful to hear him say it aloud. I had not been expecting this at all, but I couldn’t think of anything that would make me happier. 

I smiled at Harry, tears flooding my eyes. Harry was gazing at me with fierce hope in his green eyes. It made me so happy to see it because Harry had gone so long without that bright, shiny hope in his eyes. 

“Of course I will, love.” I whispered, placing a hand on his cheek. I stroked my thumb across his cheekbone.

The smile Harry gave me was blinding. In a flash, he leaned forward, placing his hand behind my head, and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss. Placing a hand on his chest to steady myself, I returned his kiss, showing him how much I loved him. I slid the hand on his cheek to wrap around his neck as I leaned into the kiss. I belatedly remembered that I was surrounded by fifty of my closest friends and family, so I pulled away, but not too quickly. Harry’s face was as red and blotchy as mine, no doubt, was. There was a physical weight to the dozens of pairs of eyes on us right now. I didn’t look away from Harry though. All I saw was Harry’s beautiful green eyes that were now filled with joy. Looking at Harry was so much easier than meeting the eyes of our many spectators. 

“I have one more thing to ask you,” Harry told me, lowering his voice and leaning his head to mine. We were now the focus of many and had to keep our voices down. 

“Whichever you choose is perfectly fine with me.” He prefaced, pausing again. “My parent’s property included a separate carriage house, what do you think about Ron and Hermione moving in there?” He asked. “They would have the carriage house and we would share the kitchen and living space with them in the main house. What do you think?” 

The answer was obvious. 

“I would love that.” I told Harry, who was cheered by the simplicity of my choice. “It would be nice to have the company. Besides, I don’t know what would happen if the three of you suddenly spent too much time away from each other. All three of you might wither away and die.” I joked. I couldn’t stop smiling at the idea. “How long do you think the renovations will take?” I asked, eagerly.

Harry laughed at my eagerness. He got up and led me to the dance floor. I saw him nod to Ron, who in turn led Hermione away from the dance floor, presumably about to have a similar discussion with Hermione, which must mean that Ron must know about Harry’s plan to live with me. That was a curious thought. I wonder how Ron felt about Harry and I co-habitating. I knew it would be hard for Hermione, because of the fragile state of her parents, but they were getting better every day. They were actually out on the dance floor tonight, and they were enjoying themselves immensely. Mr. Granger was captivated by the gnarly band members on the platform. Luckily, as I looked around the room of the people I loved most in this word, the Grangers weren’t the only ones enjoying themselves. Who could've predicted that four months ago we would be here dancing at my birthday party? All of us missed our fallen friends, but we all seemed to have committed to taking advantage of the lives we had, knowing the ones we lost would have wanted us to do so.

Harry and I danced for awhile. My arms loved to be wrapped around him. I looked out around the tent, watching people mingle. I noticed one person sitting alone, writing, which was odd for a party. With further examination, I realised that it was Cho. I hmmed to myself when I realised this.

“What?” Harry asked, obviously having heard my disapproving sound. I pulled my head up and looked at him.

“I was just making a curious observation.” I told him vaguely. He cleared wasn’t satisfied with that. I took a breath. “So, when we went to Hog’s Head, there was something I never mentioned to you.” I paused.

“What?” Harry asked, unsure whether or not to be upset.

“Before I walked up to Rita Skeeter’s table, I saw a short girl with straight black hair walking away from her table. Then as we were leaving, I saw Cho sitting with some friends. I think that Cho was talking to Skeeter.” I said this cautiously because I didn’t want Harry to think I was biased towards her.

“So?” Harry asked, emotionless. “Maybe she’d just finished telling her off?” He suggested.

“Harry, did you ever talk to Cho about what she wanted to do after Hogwarts?” I asked him.

“No, definitely not.” He said, laughing once. His thing with Cho had been very quick, and I don’t think that there had been much talking involved. From what I heard, the one date they went on was spent in either awkward silence or argument.

“She wants to be a writer.” I told him.

He nodded, accepting that I knew. “So what made you just think of that?” Harry asked.

“Well, I just saw Cho sitting at a table, alone, writing.” I told him, not bothering to hide me disdain and worry.

“That’s odd.” Harry remarked, still not seeing anything suspicious.

I just looked at him. He blinked and seemed to be confused.

“What?” Harry asked.

“I wonder if Skeeter is using her to get close information on you.” I told him.

He laughed once, dismissive. Then, as if something occurred to him, he scanned the crowd looking for where she sat, wanting to see for himself. I began talking again, once I saw him stop scanning and fix on one point.

“Think about it. I think Skeeter fancies herself a biographer now, after her atrocious book about Dumbledore. She knows that you or anyone close to you wouldn’t give her two seconds. I think she’s using Cho.” I explained, feeling betrayed by the idea that someone who’d once been part of the most powerful student union groups, Dumbledore’s Army, was doing something like that to Harry. He didn’t respond to my words, he just watched Cho, eyes narrowing slightly. “Just be careful what you say to her, that’s all.”

“I will,” he promised.

It was late. People began coming by to say their farwells. It had been very nice to have an excuse see all my old friends, almost like things were normal again. Harry had absolutely insisted that his birthday, twelve days ago, go without ceremony. We’d of course all given him gifts and Mum made his favourite meal and a cake, but it had been nothing special, even less special that last year. Harry, I think, was just thankful to be alive and breathing, so that was gift enough for him. 

Almost everyone had gone by one o’clock in the morning. Hermione and Neville were the final guests until they were ushered out, Hermione by her parents, and Neville by his gran, who was very tired. Mum and Dad said to leave everything to be cleaned up in the morning, they were so tired as well. We all slouched in inside for bed. 

When I’d washed my face and was ready for bed, I slid under my blankets. 

_I will be living with Harry within the next several months._ I thought to myself. _Mum will flip. She really will._

But I’m an adult now and I have plenty to occupy my time. Harry could certainly support me until I got a paying job with the Harpies. I didn’t know exactly how much money he had, but I knew it was pretty exorbitant, especially for an eighteen year old. With the money his parents left him, the money Sirius left him, and then getting paid as a junior Auror, he was well set up. I laid in my bed for a few moments before I noticed the mirror Harry had given me today on my bedside table. I reached over and picked it up. It was bizarre looking at a mirror, but instead of seeing myself, I saw the wood boards of the ceiling in Harry’s room. 

“Harry?” I whispered to the mirror, feeling a little crazy.

I heard shuffling, then my view changed, and Harry’s face was right in front of me.

“Did I wake you?” I asked, still in a hushed voice.

“No, I just laid down.” Harry told me. He yawned softly, then shuffled down and rested his head on his pillow as I did.

“You’re sleepy.” I observed. “I’ll let you sleep.” I told him.

“No, No.” He protested. “I’m not that sleepy. Let’s talk.” 

I smiled. “Okay.” I agreed. “Did Ron say how Hermione responded to your idea?” I asked.

“I haven’t spoken to him about that yet.” Harry told me. “Though I think she agreed, because she looked rather cheery tonight when she left with her parents.” 

“She did, didn't she? I know she’s been worrying because Ron hasn’t really been talking about the future to her. She’s been wondering how things will be when she has to commute to Hogwarts.” I remembered. 

Harry nodded. “Ron has been thinking about it a lot, I know. I guess he just wasn’t talking to her about it. At least he did tonight.” I nodded, agreeing with him.

We were silent for a moment. It was nice just being able to look at Harry even if I was only in a mirror. It made me think of how nights might be once we move in together. 

“Harry?” I posed.

“Hmm?” He hummed at me. He’d closed his eyes, but I knew he wasn’t going to sleep because he was running his hand across his scar.

“Is your scar hurting?” I asked, though it wasn’t what I originally had planned to ask him.

“No.” He said, assuredly. “It’s weird though. For the last six months, it nearly always throbbed or tingled, sometimes hurting a lot. I sometimes expect that feeling and am always happily surprised when it doesn’t come.”

“That reminds me of when Mum cut my hair short when I was seven. I kept reaching for my hair and it was never there. Though, of course, my hair grew back, and…” I trailed off.

Harry cracked a smile. “My scar won’t ever hurt again.” He said softly. His eyes flicked up to the mirror and I couldn’t help smiling at him. It was a happy thought that Harry was free from that treacherous kind of pain forever.

We were silent again, until I remembered what I’d wanted to ask him before.

“Tell me something.” I started.

“Sure.” Harry agreed, grinning at my demand.

“When you produce a Patronus, do you always use the same thought? Or does it change? And if it’s always the same, what thought do you use?” I asked, turning to my side, propping my chin on my hand.

He definitely was surprised by that and laughed. “It used to change frequently, but then, when things got really bad, I only had one that would really work for me. When I first learned, I used to think of the first time I rode a broom, then, one time, after I learned the truth about Sirius, I thought about leaving the Dursleys’ forever to live with him. But when Wormtail escaped, I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to live with Sirius and then Sirius died years after. Gradually, I, uh,” he paused, looking away for a second, “all my good thoughts weakened. The only thing that worked for me in the past year, was the memory of my eleventh birthday.” He paused, his voice trailing off.

“Your birthday?” I asked, trying to remember the story.

He nodded. “Uncle Vernon was bewildered about how to avoid the persistent Hogwarts letters, and moved us to this little cottage on a little island that was really no more than a rock. The Dursleys were cosy in their beds and I was on a rug on the stone floor. Looking at my watch, I waited for midnight, when I would be eleven.” He paused, dramatically. “Then, right at midnight, the door burst off its hinges and Hagrid marched through.” He smiled fondly. “It was then that Hagrid told me that I was a wizard. That night was the night I finally understood why I always felt at odds with everything around me. That was the night that I learned that magic was real and the night I found out that I wouldn’t have to live the rest of my life with the Dursleys.” 

I didn’t say anything, I just enjoyed the look on his face.

“That night, my life changed. Even with everything that happened afterward, I wouldn’t trade it for a muggle life with the Dursleys, ever. That was that happiest memory I had. Anything good that happened to me in my life was caused by that night.” He ended. I scooted deeper under my sheets, adjusting the mirror so I could still see.

“Ginny, do you want to go to Godric’s Hollow on Saturday after we meet Elsie?” Harry asked.

“I’d love to.” I told him. “Harry?”

“Yea?” He said, sleepily.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m really happy, happy with everything in my life right now.” I told him. “And it is mostly because of you.” I paused. “So thanks.” I smiled, blushing in the darkness. My window had faint moonlight coming through.

He smiled, widely. “I’m really happy too.” He said. “I love you, Ginny.” 

“I love you too, Harry.” I said back. That was the second time he’d said it aloud and it felt even better to hear than the first time. “Good night.”

“Sleep well.” He said, softly. Neither one of us moved our mirror though. We just stay there, looking at one another. I didn’t want to be the first one to move, and it seemed that neither did Harry. We laughed once at the same time and just laid there. 

Gradually, we fell asleep, not saying anything more, just looking at each other, enjoying the company.


	12. Godric's Hollow

Harry and I were sitting in the square across from number twelve Grimmauld Place, waiting for Elsie Enjoie to arrive. The Fidelius Charm was still in place, though there were about a dozen and a half Secret-Keepers after Dumbledore died. However, the Charm was still a viable means of protecting a location. Fortunately, as an orphanage, the only reason for protection would be from burglars and roaming muggles, not Dark Wizards. 

The bench we sat on had view of the front steps of number twelve Grimmauld Place. We were sitting under a tree, in the shade of the nice summer day. Harry had his arm around my shoulder, and I was enjoying leaning against his side. 

We both perked up as we saw a woman walking along the sidewalk in front of the hidden townhouse then turn around and walk in the other direction looking around. At that, I leapt up, Harry at my heels, and briskly walked towards her. 

We crossed the street, and when she was within earshot, I called, “Ms. Enjoie?” 

She turned around and walked back to us, “Is that you, Ginny?”

“It is.” I assured, holding out my hand to her, “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“And you,” she said to me while taking my hand. She wore sensible brown trousers with a taupe long tunic-like shirt. Her hair was dirty blonde, long and wavy down her back. She looked like a maternal sort of woman, just the kind we needed. Her voice was clear and I detected a slight Welsh accent.

“Ms. Enjoie, this is Harry.” I introduced, though I only had corresponded once with her.

“Please call me Elsie.” She said, before extending her hand to Harry. “It’s an honour to meet you, Harry Potter.” She said, awe toning her voice as she turned her attention to him. I could tell she was the kind of woman that could revere Harry, but be real with him as well. 

Harry laughed once at the change in her tone. “Nice to meet you,” he said. “I was very happy when Madame Pompfrey mentioned you to us. Would you like to come take a look?”

Harry took her hand to pull her into the perimeter of number twelve Grimmauld Place. She had a glazed look on her face for a moment, and then it clears as she was shown the Secret of the number twelve Grimmauld Place. At Harry’s touch, the door opened. Harry introduced Kreacher to Elsie, who did not appear to find anything odd about finding a house-elf in a place such as this. Harry and I agreed that when the orphanage opened and we moved into Godric’s Hollow, Kreacher would split his time in both places, coming every other day to straighten things up and such. The rest of the time, Kreacher would help cook for the children and take care of the household here.

We walked through the house, explaining our plans for each room. Elsie seemed to catch on immediately, and asked good questions like when would we clear everything out of the rooms and she asked about the budget for materials. She knew of many ways to use magic to spread resources that Harry and I had not thought of. Overall, I felt like we were in good hands with Elsie. She seemed eager to start and extremely competent.

We made plans to meet up on Monday to continue working, and Elsie parted. 

“I like her.” I told Harry as we were walking out of the house. “I think she’ll be perfect for us.”

“I agree.” Harry said back, “Things will be much easier with her onboard, now.” Harry closed the front door behind us, and we descended the steps.

“Which is good, because training starts up in a little over a week.” I commented, beginning to feel kind of nervous about starting up with the Harpies. Harry nodded.

When we reached the pavement outside of number twelve Grimmauld, Harry turned to me.

“You ready?” He asked, excitedly, holding out his arm. I hadn’t gone to take my Apparition Test, so technically I couldn’t go without Harry, which was ironic because Harry had been illegally Apparating for a year. He’d finally taken the test when he went to work for the Aurors’ Office. I looked up at Harry’s green eyes, and fortunately being in Harry’s arms was no great hardship. 

“Let’s go.” I said, wrapping my arm around his.

The next thing I saw was a village lane with little houses, cobblestone roads, classic architecture for a little moor town. It was like something out of a novel. I could tell Harry was watching my reaction, but I was too busy examining my surrounding to meet his gaze. Then I felt him looking around to get his bearings. Eventually, he led me down the lane towards what appeared to be the main square. I saw a small church and the distance yard behind it that looked like a cemetery. That must be where Lily and James were buried. I, then looked up, wondering if Harry would want to visit the cemetery, but he didn’t head in that direction. Today was about us and our future, not the past. In the middle of the square was a stone statue. I couldn’t really distinguish what it was, but I knew it was a memorial for the Potters. I found it interesting that Harry was willing to live in a town that had a statue of his one year-old self.

We continued down a street off the main square, passing various cottages of varying degrees of upkeep. I would occasionally see a witch or wizard walking down the street, and I wondered how many there were in this town. A fair bit, I was sure, because Dumbledore, the Potters, and Bathilda Bagshot had all lived here, and the town was named for a famous wizard after all. Looking straight ahead of us, I immediately saw a medium-sized house that had a large hole blown out in the top floor on the right side and my feet stopped moving.

I was thirty yards away, but I was still staggered by it. I imagined that night, the explosion that must’ve occurred and Harry at the very centre of it. I drew in a breath, not realising I’d stopped breathing. Harry released the arm I held and placed his arm around my shoulders, supporting me as we continued to walk forward toward our future home. I began to examine the house, now that I had seen the gaping absence of house in one area. The house was similar to the rest on this street. It had a waist-high wrought iron fence around it. There was a same stoop in the front with a small alcove for rain cover and the front door was round at the top and made of a dark hard wood. The house was made of grey natural stone bricks and the dark tile roof was a steep angle to allow the snow to fall from it in the winter. 

When we got closer, I looked at the garden. Nothing was growing or alive, but neither was it barren or lifeless. The garden seemed weak, like it was trying very hard to live and would not die. When we stepped up to the front gate, a sign rose from the ground announcing that this was where the Potter family lived. There were signatures and messages covering the sign, which made it difficult to read, word for word. I felt Harry take a deep breath and extend the hand of the arm that was not around my shoulder to the gate latch.

At his touch, the latch disengaged. When Harry pushed the gate forward, I felt something change through the whole property, the garden, the yard, and the house. I looked around, feeling a breeze and expecting to see a storm brewing in the sky, but there was none. I looked at Harry with wary eyes.

“I just released an enchantment. The ministry suspended this house in a Stasis Charm, which kept everything just as it was until I reached of age.” He told me. 

I nodded, though I didn’t really understand, and followed Harry through the gate.

“Close the gate, Ginny.” Harry told me. “The gate has flesh memory like Snitches. Once you shut the gate from the inside, the gate will unlock for you again in the future. So if you don’t want someone to be able to get in, meet them at the gate and make sure you close the gate yourself.” Harry explained. 

I touched the iron and closed the latch. “That’s handy.” I remarked, speaking softly, then turned around to go into the house. 

“So, Harry,” I paused, unsure of how to say what I wanted to say. “Your, uh, your parents’ stuff is going to be in there?” I asked.

He took a breath. 

“Just like the day they died.” He whispered as he stepped up to the stoop and placed a hand on the doorknob. He drew his wand and tapped his hand that held the knob. I heard a click and Harry opened the door.

The foyer was small and dark from the closed curtains. A stairway leading to the second floor was directly across from the front door. The floor was made of dark wood, and it was partially obscured by crimson and gold carpets, clearly the house of Gryffindors, which made me grin. I lifted my gaze from the floor and saw the walls full of pictures, some were of Harry, some were of Lily and James, and some were of friends or family I didn’t know. I took Harry’s hand, giving it a little squeeze and then walked to the windows by the door and opened the curtains to let the light in.

“Wow.” I whispered. I saw something in the living room that caught my eye. I left Harry in the foyer and walked into the living room, which was to the right of the foyer. There was a sofa, coffee table, fireplace, and a wireless radio. On the floor, there was a littering of child’s toys. I knelt down and picked up a miniature broom. It was so tiny, but I could so easily picture little Harry hovering along inches from the ground. I released the broom and it hovered in the air, as if waiting for one-year-old Harry to come mount it and resume life as it should have gone. I took a deep breath, pushing back my watery eyes. I heard Harry kneel next to me and pick up a little cauldron that immediately filled up with a liquid but couldn’t be poured out, though, Harry discovered that the liquid would change colours if you reached in and touched it.

“Do you remember any of this?” I asked softly. 

Harry breathed in deep. 

“Not from my own memory.” He said, his voice thick. I just looked at him, unsure what he meant. “The only time I’ve seen inside this house was through Tom Riddle’s eyes the night he killed my parents.” He paused and looked through the large window behind me. “He first saw my dad through that window.” 

I turned and looked at the paned glass. True to that night, the curtains were pushed aside. 

“When he bespelled the gate, my dad heard and sent my mum upstairs with me. Dad died right there.” He pointed to the foyer and the foot of the stairs. “Mum died upstairs right in front of my crib where she’d laid me.” I looked at him, watching for a collapse or break down. I was extremely surprised to see that he was merely solemn but not truly upset. Harry stood up and offered me a hand. 

“Let’s go upstairs.” He said. 

I stood up and followed right behind him. I noted that as I left the room, that I was sorry to depart this room, because despite the history of this place, it felt comfortable. It felt welcoming, like it was starving for the family that had lived there and craved the presence of happiness. 

We started up the stairs. There was a landing and the stairs went up again in the opposite direction. The landing had a window, and I caught the briefest glance of the backyard, which looked enchanting, and a small carriage house. The first door on the left was Harry’s parents’ room. We walked in together. I saw a Puddlemere United poster on what looked to be James’ side of the room. On Lily’s side, there was a nice vanity, with a three-way mirror, and a vase that had probably always held flowers. There was a small widow’s walk facing the back yard, I opened one of the paned doors, which resisted mildly, and walked out. To the right, I saw the carriage house. The bottom level was designed like a garage, and the upper floor had a separate entrance, stairs going up on the garden side. The carriage house also had a balcony off of it. I could tell the garden had once been beautiful. I loved the design; there was a latticed walkway with vines growing on it and a small stone fountain of a doe and a stag with a little bench beside it. Harry stepped out after me and smiled slightly when he saw the fountain. He leaned on the railing, looking out.

“A doe and stag were my parents’ Patronuses.” He smiled again, “I like it.”

“Me too.” I agreed, resting my elbows on the railing and tilted my head on his shoulder.

We lingered on the walk, delaying the time when we had to visit that last room in the house. I went back inside when Harry did, letting him set the pace. As we walked through his parents’ room again, I realised that this would be Harry’s and my room to live in. I felt my stomach flip over with the thought, trying and also trying not to imagine the things we’d do in this room. Either Harry had been thinking the same thing, he read my mind, or something on my face gave my thoughts away, because he looked back at me with a look in his eye that made me think he’d just been thinking the exact same thing. I caught a fleeting glance in Lily’s vanity mirror of myself red in the face. 

As I stepped out into the hall and turned toward the door at the end of the hall, the blood drained from my face. The outside edges of the door were charred and the door was not set on its hinge properly. I walked directly beside Harry as we closed in on the door. The runner carpet on the floor of the short hallway darkened as we approached the door. My hair lifted from a breeze coming through the crack of the door. I heard the breeze, a faint creak of wood, and Harry’s breathing beside me. After an eternity, he lifted his hand to the doorknob. 

Harry jerked his hand back, like he’d been stung. I grabbed for his hand and looked at it, then up to Harry’s face when I saw nothing. 

“What is it?” I asked, softly. I felt the need to whisper.

“Nothing, the knob is just cold.” Harry said, his voice a little rattled. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

I nodded, “Its open to the outside, and it probably gets cold up here a night. That must be it.” I suggested, reassurance in my tone.

Harry nodded, then reached for the doorknob again, this time pushing the door open with difficultly because of the skew in the hinge. I watched the door open before I looked to the room. The most obvious and galling thing to the room was the hole in the wall, ceiling, and part of the floor. I could see out across Godric’s Hollow, all the way to the main square that Harry and I had walked through. I looked down into the kitchen and saw the large sink like Mum had in her kitchen. Cold wind blew in my face, instinctively I curled into Harry’s side, who wrapped his arm around me.

The left side of the room was a shell of a wonderful child’s room. Everything was charred, the rocking chair and the oval rug on the floor with scattered toys amidst it. Perhaps the most frightening image, one that I knew I would remember for the rest of my life was the remains of a Harry’s crib. I heard again in my head what Harry had said a bit ago, “Mum died upstairs right in front of my crib where she’d lain me.” I stared at the crib, not in one single piece. It was just chunks of carved wood. Bile rose in my throat when I took a half step forward and saw a scrap of a baby blanket. Harry might have been wrapped up in that blanket when this whole room blasted apart. I slumped down to the floor, landing on my knees hard. I shut my eyes, refusing to imagine what must have happened to poor baby Harry after the explosion. Again, bile rose in my throat and I focused on settling down. Harry joined me on the sooty floor and wrapped an arm around me. I looked up at him and once again, surprised to see him solemn, and not upset as I was. I suppose he had realised the reality of what would be here long before I had.

“Are you sure you can live here?” Harry asked, looking at me intently.

“Are you?” I asked, my head resting on his shoulder. If he wanted to live in his parents’ house then dammit I would too.

“In this room,” he started, “is proof that I was loved, probably better than most people have ever been loved by their parents because my parents had courage to fight. Bad things happened here, but the essence of the charm my mother performed by dying here is in these walls. I can live here happily by remembering how important and potent love is, and how it saved my life, multiple times.” Harry explained. “My life up until now has been just about surviving. My survival started here, and now I will stop living to survive. I will just live.”

Harry turned and looked me in the eye. _With me,_ I added in my head. He would stop living to survive and just live, with me by his side. 

A smile grew on my face. “I like the idea of living in a love-filled house.” I smiled bigger after winning one from Harry. “But I do think we should straighten things up a bit in here first, though.” 

“Agreed.” Harry said back to me. “Want to go see the carriage house in the back?”

We explored the rest of Harry’s property, which turned out to be fairly extensive. The backyard extended far off beyond the house. It felt more like a complex rather than just a home. I wondered if Remus, Sirius, James spent their time as animals in those woods, but then decided Remus probably wouldn’t have wanted to be so close to people for his monthly change. However, I was sure James had enjoyed a good run through the woods as a stag.

Walking through the house, I couldn’t help the unconscious planning furnishings and where I’d keep my belongings. I was beginning to see my life as it would be, and it made me happy. That is until it was time to go and I remembered that I still had yet to tell Mum about our plans. I knew she would not be pleased by Harry, Ron and I moving out, not to mention that Harry and I would not be living in separate rooms. It would take much consideration to decide how best to tell Mum and Dad about their two youngest children moving out to live with their significant others.


	13. Making Moves

The next day I was walking through Grimmauld Place alone, waiting to meet up with Harry, Ron and Hermione for lunch. Walking past the room that Hermione and I had stayed in brought back memories of when Harry had been expelled from Hogwarts for performing magic in front of his muggle cousin. I had been so worried about Harry because I knew how terrible his aunt and uncle were. Little did I know that was minuscule compared to what awaited Harry in the years to follow.

I continued up the stairs when I reached the top floor, and saw Sirius’ name on one of the doors. I’d never been in Sirius’ room before, because he'd been occupying it while I'd stayed here. Curious, I pushed Sirius’ door open and went inside. Despite Harry telling Kreacher to begin packing up Sirius’ belongings, in preparation for the orphanage, there were still a lot of reminders of the former occupant of the room. Gryffindor pennants on the walls captured my gaze first. I wondered why Kreacher hadn’t removed them until I stepped up to a wall and noticed the faint gouging marks around them in the wallpaper. Clearly Sirius had used a Permanent-Sticking Charm to ensure his tempestuous family wouldn’t remove them. A creak from the hall behind me broke the silence in the house. My head snapped to the door, only to find it empty. I stood completely still for a moment, waiting for any more noise.

As I stood frozen, I noticed a small eight by ten photograph of four schoolboys on the wall. It wasn’t hard to recognise them. It was the Marauders: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. James had his arms around Sirius and Lupin, who was tugging Wormtail into the picture. James looked so much like Harry. The photograph was black and white, so I couldn’t tell that his eyes were black instead of green, like Harry’s were. I reached up to trace James’ face with my finger. Harry’s face was a little slimmer than James’, and Harry was not quite as tall and gangly as James, but otherwise they were just about identical. People weren’t lying to Harry all those times I heard them claim how much he resembled James. 

Lost in thought, I’d only just noticed the sound of a door creak and footsteps behind me, moving closer. I casually crossed my arms and palmed my wand from its sheath up my sleeve that Harry had given me.

Arms surrounded me with a deep chuckle. 

“Easy, love.” Harry murmured in my ear soothingly. “My intentions are entirely honourable.”

I smiled, though Harry couldn’t see. I hadn’t realised that the room was cold until I had Harry’s warmth behind me.

I turned in his arms and hugged him to me, tucking my forehead under his jaw. I sighed when Harry’s arms gave me an extra squeeze. 

“I hope they’re not entirely honourable.” I squinted at him. “That wouldn’t be any fun.” 

I pulled him down for a kiss, pausing briefly when our lips were millimetres apart. I felt his arms slip lower around my waist, and he closed the space like I hoped he would, pushing my body along the length of his. I broke for air and felt the small dresser behind me. I scooted up to sit on it, bringing my gaze level with his. I parted my knees and pulled Harry towards me. Surprising me, Harry kissed my cheek, then worked his way down my throat. His lips were light on my skin, tickling me. I was holding Harry’s shoulders, and glided my hands down his back, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. I squeezed Harry’s hips with my knees, ensnaring him. One of Harry’s hands moved to crush my hair to my head, tilting it back so his lips could move to my collarbone. A soft sigh slipped through my lips. My hands felt for the bottom of Harry’s t-shirt, and slowly I moved my hands under his shirt to better feel of the muscles of his back. The contact of skin on skin surprised Harry and he brought his head up to look at me. I gave him a quiet smile and took his lips, hugging him to my chest and trying hard not to dig my nails into his skin. Harry kissed me back with heightened intensity, bringing his whole body against me, belly to belly. At this point, I was becoming keenly aware of a growing bulge between us. I shied away from that direction of thought and tried to push it out of my mind. I did bring my hands around to feel Harry’s stomach, which was conveniently flexed for me, when I heard feet pounding up the stairs. 

Harry and I broke off our kiss and listened. I leaned my head against his as we waited. I could tell it wasn’t Ron, for which I was thankful. I could hear a purse jingling, so it must be Hermione. Then, Harry backed up and was straightening his t-shirt and I hopped down from the dresser, fussing with my hair. When Hermione got to the door, I stepped in front of Harry, who put his arms around my stomach, seamlessly hiding Harry’s lingering excitement.

“Oh!” Hermione exclaimed in surprise. Her eyes darting around, observing the state of us. “I’m dreadfully sorry.” Hermione said, biting her lip to keep from grinning. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

I smiled.

“It’s okay. Is Ron here?” I asked, walking toward the door, pulling Harry along behind me. 

 

Later that day, after we lunched, I did my regular training on my new Firebolt. After I’d exhausted myself, I showered of the grime and laid down on my bed, thinking about Harry and I. Still in my towel, thinking about romantic things, was probably not the wisest choice to calm me down. I resolved to napping, not bothering to change.

I don’t know how long I slept, but I remember waking up and the sun was much lower. I sat up on my bed, noting that my bed was damp from my towel and still wet hair. I got up and began to change, by the looks of it Mum should be getting dinner ready soon. There was a knock on my door just as I was hooking my bra and pulling on my panties. I walked over to the door.

“Who is it?” I asked, to determine whether I’d wait to open the door until I was more fully clothed. 

“It’s Harry.” He said softly. The sound of his voice through the door gave me butterflies, mostly due to how I was dressed and the images that flashed into my head. I quickly took a peek at myself in my mirror. Then plucked up some daring. 

I opened my door a little to make sure no one else was outside my door, and then opened my door a little bit more. Not enough that Harry could see all of me at once, but enough that he would get the idea in his head and be able to use his imagination.

“Hi.” I said, softly back as he had done.

I was rewarded by Harry’s eyes widening, so much that I could see his pupils dilate. His eyebrows rose slowly, like he was marvelling. I saw him swallow thickly, and his wide eyes flick up and down my body. I gave him a warm smile, which was returned with a delighted but slightly discomposed smile.

Evidently, Harry had forgotten what he’d knocked on my door for, so I helped him out. It was rather impetuous of me to come to my door barely clothed. 

“Did you need something?” I asked, still smiling beatifically. 

He snapped his eyes into focus, and started to say something, then cleared his throat.

“Yes.” He answered. “Hermione’s parents invited Ron and your parents to a family dinner and Dromeda asked if I could take Teddy tonight. Feel like babysitting?” He asked, feigning normalcy. Though he clearly was very distracted. 

“I would love to.” I told Harry genuinely, who seemed conflicted now. He started backing away slowly, now that his purpose for being at my door was over, but clearly his body didn’t want more space between us, but less. “I’ll be down in a bit.” Then closed my door, but not before I shared a beguiling smile. 

I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that Harry wasn’t the only one flushed, my chest and neck were pink and splotchy. I shook my head trying to clear it. The coolness of my lingering wet hair against my skin helped to settle my racing pulse. I finished changing and went downstairs. Mum, Dad and Ron were just walking out as I came down the stairs. I waved a goodbye. I walked from the kitchen into the sitting room and found Harry and Teddy on the floor. Teddy was examining the broom that hovered in front of him with interest. He wasn’t yet old enough to ride it. But like a good godfather, Harry decided to save his old and very first broom for his godson when he’s old enough. 

I plopped down and greeted little Teddy, picking him up and hugging his little body. Though Teddy didn’t have a living mother or father, goddammit, this child would know love just like any other. We played with Teddy for forty-five minutes until his energy began winding down. Harry laid him down in a crib in his room and tromped down the stairs. We ate the dinner Mum had left us, and then settled on a sofa in the sitting room. I stretched out, my head on Harry’s lap. We were talking about my official training for the Harpies, which would start in a little over a week.

“Do you need anything for training?” Harry asked. “We should go shopping for some gear. You have a Firebolt, but I know there’s more stuff you should probably have, like some good Chaser gloves.”

“Yea,” I said, thinking about the article I read in Which Broomstick about the top-of-the-line gloves that were loaded with helpful Charms and anti-jinxes and counter-curses. I was silent, trying to remember if the article mentioned how much a pair of gloves like those go for.

“Hey Gin?” Harry pulled me from my thoughts.

“Hmm?” I responded.

“I’m buying them for you, you know.” He told me, an amused smile on his face. “I know that look you just had. It’s the one you always made when are letters would come with the supply list for the school year. As far as I’m concerned what’s mine is yours, and goodness knows I’ve got more gold in Gringotts than I need.”

I couldn’t help smile. Harry had come so far in expressing his emotions and not being scared of trusting someone else. I did feel a little uncomfortable with the idea that he’d be paying for my stuff, but I knew that doing so would make him honestly very happy, so I let it go. I sat up, scooting into Harry’s lap and wrapped my arms around him. He did the same and I nuzzled my face into his soft hair. I would repay him in love. No one would ever love Harry the way I do.

“Ok.” I just said, simply. We sat like that cuddled together silent thinking. A thought popped in my mind that had only just occurred to me. “Harry?”

“Hmm?” He responded, copying as I’d just done.

“You want to have kids, sometime in the distant future, right?” I asked this, realising that I never had talked about it with him. Obviously it wasn’t something that I was thinking about for any time soon, but it was an aspect of life that I wanted, and assumed that he would too.

Harry laughed once. 

“Of course I do.” He said like it was obvious. “I mean, besides Teddy, I’ve never really been around infants, let alone children. But I know that I’d be a good father to a child.”

He paused. “Why?”

I shrugged. “I was just checking. I want kids.” I closed my eyes and breathed easy.

“Good.” Harry said, quietly, almost a whisper that wasn’t meant for me.

Harry picked up a lock of my hair and played with it in his fingers. It was still slightly damp from my shower. I saw a faint grin on Harry’s lips as he looked at my hair.

“What?” I asked smiling too, looking at his grin.

His grin widened.

“I might have trouble falling asleep tonight, Ginny, after how you answered your door earlier.” He dropped the lock he held and ran his hand through the rest of my hair.

I blushed a little.

“Oh, dear.” I said, in dry sarcasm. “I hope lack of sleep won’t affect you at work tomorrow.” 

“I’m sure it will.” He said in faux-seriousness.

“I wish there was something I could do about that.” I said, just before bending a little in his lap to kiss him. I held the back of his head to deepen the kiss. Harry broke the kiss to lift me up and resituated me. Suddenly, I was laying on the sofa, him above me. I sighed as I felt Harry’s body along mine. He kissed me as I was about to take a breath in, leaving me breathless by the first kiss. I let my hands wander underneath Harry’s shirt as I felt his do the same. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the feeling of his hand on the soft skin of my stomach. Then his hand moved up my side along my ribcage. At the same time, Harry’s lips moved along my neck to my collarbone. Harry’s hand reached the band of my bra. I was panting softly, and my hands could feel the rapid breathing from Harry too. I never realised how sensitive skin could be until I felt Harry’s thumb roll over the side of my breast. I pulled Harry’s head up to me to kiss him encouragingly. Then I felt his whole hand graze against the smooth fabric of my bra, then the strength of his hand as he cupped my left breast. My eyes rolled back with another sigh.

Like a bucket of ice water, I heard the sound of at least 5 adult voices in the garden heading to the house. One was definitely Dad with his distinctive laugh. Harry and I broke apart, completely startled. I looked at Harry and grabbed my wand from my sheath, pecked Harry on the nose and then I Apparated to his room. 

I peeked in the mirror on his dresser and combed through my hair, getting the muss out of it. I was very flushed. I turned to the crib Harry had set up and picked up Teddy, who was fast asleep. I walked out of the room and carried Teddy downstairs, trying not to bump him with the movement of the stairs.

I arrived at the foot of the stairs to see Mum, Dad, Ron, and Dromeda in the kitchen. Harry had stepped through seconds before me, looking slightly less dishevelled than how I’d left him. They’d greeted Harry, then noticed me and hushed themselves automatically because of the sleeping baby. I walked in and stood next to Harry, who couldn’t help staring down at Teddy with a glowing smile.

“How was he?” Dromeda asked, sitting down at the kitchen table, facing us.

“Wonderful.” I answered. “I think we might have worn him out, though.”

“That’s never a bad thing. More sleep for me.” She remarked.

Harry put an arm around my waist and stepped closer to Teddy and me. “Anytime, we love to have him.” As Harry said that, I saw Mum and Dad glance at each other from the corner of my eye. I’m sure they were taking in the image of Harry and I together with a baby. I hadn’t a clue about what they made of it though.

“I know, and you know that I don’t dare get a nanny for fear of the wrath from you.” Dromeda teased. We all laughed. Mum and Ron walked over to us. I surrendered Teddy to Mum as Ron stroked the baby’s ruby red hair with his pinky.

We spent another few minutes admiring Teddy before Dromeda took him home. I was about to go upstairs and get ready for bed when Mum called me out into the garden for something. I stepped through the kitchen door and pulled out my wand for light. Mum was out gathering vegetables. I sent the light from my wand into a lantern nearby.

“We had to do this right now?” I asked, disbelieving. “It couldn’t have waited until the morning when we can actually see?” I bent over, helping Mum despite the absurdity.

“Oh, yes, I suspect so.” Mum gave in, which surprised me. She straightened up and looked at me. “I wanted to talk to you though, dear.”

“About what?” I asked. I started walking down a row of vegetables, though I had a faint idea what it was about from the glance I observed when Harry had his arm around me saying ‘we’.

“It makes your father and I nervous having Harry and you in the same house by yourselves. It’s not the normal situation for two young people in a early relationship. What exactly is the nature of your relationship?” Mum asked, intrusively. She fell in line with me, walking along the row of plants. 

I sighed, while I compiled suitable words to describe it.

“Well.” I started. “I … I think I’m in love with Harry, Mum.” I told her. I threw in the word ‘think’ for Mum’s benefit, but truthfully, there wasn’t any thinking to do about it. I knew.

Mum nodded, laughing. 

“Ginny, I believe you’ve always been in love with Harry.” She said, then chuckled to herself. I grinned. “How physical is your relationship? Are you taking precautions?” 

I blushed in the darkness of the garden, only slits of light shone through the sparse windows. “We’re not having sex, Mum.” I nearly whispered. I was embarrassed by having to say that aloud. But I knew just saying it would make the whole conversation easier.

Mum nodded again. 

“Well, okay. I must admit, I’m relieved to hear it. It is awkward having you two in the same house, and goodness knows I don’t want either of you to leave. But Ginny, dear, would you do me a favour? Stop by Glinda’s Goods for Witches and pick up an anti-pregnancy charm. It would put my mind at rest.”

“Yes, Mum.” I agreed. I considered the idea of needing one and it gave me goosebumps.


	14. Shopping

Harry and I walked out of _Quality Quidditch Supplies_ having just bought a very nice pair of Chaser’s gloves. I couldn’t wait to try them out.

“Will you fly with me later to try them out?” I asked, putting the bag over my arm to carry.

Harry smiled at me as he placed his arm around my waist, walking down Diagon Alley. 

“Of course, I will.” He answered, pecking me on the forehead. 

I looked around, taking in Diagon Alley. It was fairly populated this afternoon, but not completely back to how things might have been three years ago. Many people stared or made a double-take at the sight of Harry, but, in general, people weren’t harassing him. To me, it seemed the only times we would encounter intense attention were when we would happen across old Hogwarts acquaintances who were anxious to show off to their companions that they were on first name basis with _the_ Harry Potter.

Whether to minimise these encounters or laziness, Harry had grown his hair out longer, almost touching his shoulders, which seemed to better disguise his features. Also, he’d recently took to leaving a bit of scruff on his face, which also made him less recognisable. He was quite the rakish gent these days.

We were strolling by _Eeylops Owl Emporium_ and Harry groaned quietly. Concerned, I stopped to look at him. The groan betrayed some unexpected deep hurt. 

“What is it?” I asked, looking at his glum face. His eyes were crinkled in pain and his lips were a bit tight. He looked away from the shop window to stare at the ground. I could tell it wasn’t physical pain. 

“I’d been thinking the other day that I need to buy another owl. I have so many different things going on. Seeing this place just reminded me that I’ve never actually had to buy an owl before. Hagrid gave me Hedwig and she was my first real birthday present, if you don’t count the mashed birthday cake he made that Dudley ate.” 

I remembered Harry looking devastated the day he showed up at the Burrow, where he had to tell us that Hedwig had been killed. I took his hand in mine, but was silent. I didn’t know what to say.

“You go on to George’s. I’ll meet you there.” Harry said, taking a few steps toward the Owl Emporium. 

I looked at Harry. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” I asked.

He nodded at me absently, and then turned away. 

I watched him enter, and then turned off down the street. I was lucky that _Glinda’s Goods for Women_ was in between here and _Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes_. I was able to pop in the little shop and pick out a Charmed necklace with a pendant to keep me from getting pregnant without Harry asking questions. I found a nice one. It had a thin, silver chain and the pendant was a round glass ball with symbols etched into it.

As I was walking out, I took the necklace out of the bag that Glinda’s daughter gave me and put it on. I looked at the necklace once it was around my neck and couldn’t help imagining the way it could be put to use. I felt butterflies in my stomach for a fleeting moment, and then I tucked it under my shirt. I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t want to explain it to anyone at the moment. I enjoyed the short walk to George’s business and home. Walking along, I saw dozens of young eleven year-olds buying their first cauldron and school robes. I must have been longer than I thought in Glinda’s store because Harry was ahead of me talking to an elderly man. I walked toward them and realised the man was Mr. Olivander, sitting outside his shop. Harry was crouched down to talk to him, who was sitting on a low stool drinking a butterbeer. 

I walked up behind Harry and placed my hands on his shoulders. He didn’t jump, so he’d known I was there. I saw my reflection in the shop window and figured how. Harry stood and bid Olivander goodbye so we could continue on our way. Harry had told me about his intersection with Olivander, and I wondered what they talked about now that their separate journeys had ended. I generally understood their history as much as a third-party could. Harry had a thoughtful look on his face as we walked, but I didn’t ask him about what they had talked about. I just enjoyed the easy silence between us. I loved that about the way we were together. We could go periods of time without talking, because words weren’t necessary. 

_Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes_ was brilliantly vivacious. Harry and I stepped into a madhouse of people. George had hired four more employees to run the store with him due to the increase in business. 

“Let’s see if we can find George.” I said close to Harry’s ear, over the static noise of the customers. The outlook of actually finding George didn’t seem likely. Slowly, we navigated our way around the love potions and the Shield Hats, and up the stairs to the age restricted section where you can buy items like Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and Punching Telescopes. We finally found our way toward the door that led to George’s flat. Harry banged on the door, since we hadn’t seen George anywhere in the store. 

After about a minute of knocking, George came to the door, pulling on an undershirt. He was only wearing boxers and his hair was rumpled. I looked him up and down, and then glanced at Harry, who was trying to cover an amused expression with his hand. Then, Harry stood on his toes and looked behind George, who adjusted up to block his view. Unfortunately, or rather fortunate for me, his adjustment exposed Angelina Johnson sitting on the edge of his bed from my perspective, where she was putting on her shoes. My hand flew to my mouth to keep from laughing. I turned away, took a deep breath, and turned around.

“Hi Angelina!” I called out, waving in the crack of space through which I saw her.

George moved again, and then simply gave up with a sigh.

“Guess you’re probably not feeling like going out for lunch.” Harry said, bemused.

George smacked his head. “I forgot!” He groaned. 

I took two steps backward, pulling Harry with me. 

“It’s okay, George. We’ll manage. Stay here and enjoy Angelina – I mean time with Angelina!” I wished for him. He grinned at me, and then turned quickly to slam the door in our faces.

“Good for him.” Harry said, still smiling.

“Yea.” I agreed. George needed something to make him happy, or at least as happy as one can be when a person’s constant companion in life is lost. Angelina could hopefully help him to fully rejoin the world. 

_Weasley’s Wizard Wheeze’s_ was bustling as Harry and I made our way out. School-aged witches examined the love potions and boys fought over the fake wands. Hogwarts would be starting up soon, and they were all probably doing their annual Diagon Alley school shopping trip. I was extremely curious about how Hogwarts would be this year. The job vacancies were many and the castle’s damage severe. A Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was needed, as well as a Potions Masters because Slughorn almost certainly left too. There was also still no proper Muggle Studies professor. I worried for McGonagall and her challenge of restoring the school, both the castle and the staff. I watched Harry’s back as we wound our way to the exit, remembering my time at Hogwarts and the event that led to the end of those years.

“Would you want to go to Godric’s Hollow and have Kreacher make us something?” Harry asked. 

Harry’s words jolted me out of my contemplation.

He glanced back at me when I didn’t seem to hear him at first. I saw his face flash with an unknown emotion, then return to normal. 

“Kreacher’s been getting antsy since Elsie started setting up Grimmauld Place for children and he’s begun working on my parent’s house. He’s also spent some time going through the carriage house too, but don't tell Hermione.” Harry said, leading me out of the chaos.

“Going to Godric’s Hollow sounds great.” I consented, heartily, trying to shake off my melancholia.

As soon as we stepped out of the store onto Diagon Alley, Harry hugged me, then Apparated to our future home. 

There it was, almost the same as it had been a few days ago. The plant life in the yard looked more alive. Kreacher obviously had worked some magic there. I touched the gate, and opened it. The charm on the house worked, I could now unlock the house just like Harry. We got inside and saw a world of difference inside too. Five days for a house-elf were like weeks for any normal witch or wizard. The house was sparkling clean. The lights were lit, and there was no stale smell. 

We were in the foyer when Kreacher appeared.

“Are you pleased, Master and Miss?” Kreacher asked, ears twitching in excitement.

I nodded as Harry said, “Looks wonderful, Kreacher. Fancy putting together a lunch for us?” Harry asked, politely.

Kreacher gave a half bow and CRACKED out into the kitchen I heard him bustling in there. I briefly wondered if the kitchen’s lack of ceiling rendered it unfit to prepare food in. Beyond the glance down I had from the hole upstairs, I’d missed getting a good look at the kitchen. I sat down on the sofa in the living room, and put my bag of supplies down. Harry sat beside me, allowing me to scoot over to cuddle him. I rested my head on Harry’s chest, feeling grateful that Harry had this house for us to be without worrying that Mum or Ron would randomly intrude, lately it had been Mum who was doing the interrupting. Harry’s hand stoked through my hair. It was very soothing. I felt his thumb trail along the outside of my ear, down the side of my neck, to my shoulder. Then his thumb doubled back. Harry had felt the chain of my necklace.

Harry sat up a bit and his hand pulled the chain to bring it out from under my shirt, so he could see it. I sat up a little to look as well. 

“What’s this?” Harry asked, confused. I didn’t usually wear any jewellery except for the occasional earbobs. I should’ve known he would notice it.

“Oh, just a little something I bought.” I simplified. For some reason, I was shy about telling Harry what it was. I didn't want him to think I was expecting something from him.

Harry inspected the pendent, looking at the glass, then seeing the symbols carved into it. 

“Do these mean something?” He asked, turning it around in his hand. 

I nodded, slowly. Then, seeing his dissatisfied face, I sat up fully turning on the sofa sitting cross-legged to face him and took a deep breath.

“Mum told me to buy it.” I told him, still not exactly telling him why. I could feel myself blushing, and Harry noticed that too. His eyes got wider and kept looking back to the pendant. He was obviously wondering what it could be that would make me blush. 

I sighed, and hid my face in my hands. “It’s an anti-pregnancy charm. Mum told me that if we’re both to live in the same house, she’d feel better if I wore one.” I told him, and added. “I didn’t buy it with any other kind of expectation or anything.”

Harry’s eyebrows rose, and then his eyes looked right at me. I loved the pure green that stared back at me. A hint of a smile played on his full lips, like he was thinking how it could be put to use, just as I had. I couldn’t help a twitch on the corner of mine in response. 

“Well, that was clever of her, I guess. It’s always good to plan for the unexpected.” He said in a low voice. His tone gave me shivers down my spine, like his words were full of unspoken promises.

Harry lifted the necklace to his lips and kissed it, and then leaned over and kissed me. He gently pushed me back to lie back flat on the sofa. I felt his body’s weight and warmth pressed against mine. I hitched my knee over his hip and squeezed him closer. I was wearing a dress, so the hem of my skirt fell down to my hip. I broke our kiss to catch a breath. Harry kissed my cheek, my closed eyelids, forehead, until I sought his lips again, using a hand to guide his lips to mine. The hand on my waist bunched fabric of my dress and moved to my knee, trailing down my thigh. His hand was warm and slightly rough against my skin and his touch left a trail of fire as his hand rested on my bare hip. I was wearing black lacy boy-cut knickers. Harry must have been further curious and slid his hand down and cupped my bum, pulling me toward his pelvis, where I could feel the extent of Harry’s enthusiasm. The particular kind of enthusiasm that made me curious, excited and also a little nervous. 

The kitchen door swung open and Kreacher walked in with the cucumber sandwiches he knew I liked. Kreacher walked into the room, set a tray down on the coffee table. He clearly seemed to not care, or notice the intimate position that Harry and I were in. 

“Would Master or Miss be needing anything else?” Kreacher asked, normally. Harry just shook his head, not saying anything. Kreacher CRACKED out of the room after a small bow.

Harry and I looked at each other. I was acutely aware that Harry’s hand was still cupping my bum. His fingers were strong and sure. Kreacher’s soft footsteps pattered upstairs. I laughed quietly. Harry smiled.

“I guess House-Elves are immune to any kind of personal privacy conventions in relation to their masters.” I commented, panting lightly. 

“It would appear so.” He said, bending down kissing me once, and then he released my hip with a groan. I relaxed my neck and rested in on a pillow. Harry propped his head on his hand. My chest rose and fell quickly as I caught my breath. I was extremely conscious that my breasts were very close to Harry’s face. The thought momentarily distracted me with possibilities.

“Can we agree on something?” I asked a few moments later, deciding something for myself. I ran my hand down Harry's side.

“Ok, what?” Harry asked, curious.

I reached down and took my necklace in my hand, that movement drew Harry’s gaze to my chest, which left my stomach full of butterflies. 

“Can we wait to put this to use until we stay our first night here?” I asked, hoping that Harry would not mind that. It seemed cliché, but I wanted it to be special.

He gave me a small smile.

“Of course.” He snuggled down to rest his forehead on mine. “Of course.”

I snuggled back resting my hands on his chest and he hugged me around the middle.

“So you know what that means?” I asked, lightening my voice, serenely happy in Harry’s warmth.

“What’s that?” He asked.

“We better get it fixed up quickly.” I smiled. 

Harry’s chest rumbled with laughter. 

“I’m sure I can handle that.” 

I leaned over and grabbed a sandwich from where Kreacher had left them. I scooted to sit up a little so I could eat. Harry did the same, all while making sure that I was still on his lap. I took a bite of sandwich and offered it to him. As I chewed, I leaned my hand on Harry. Seeing some pumpkin juice on the table, but not wanting to move, I slid my wand out and thought “Accio juice.” I dropped my wand in my lap just in time to catch the goblet as it hovered to me. 

Harry chuckled softly in my ear. “Lazy.” He teased.

“No.” I protested. “I was just too comfortable here that I couldn’t bear to move.”

“I guess I shouldn’t argue with that.” Harry wrapped an arm around my waist. 

I smiled in response, looking him in the eye. Being as close as we were, I couldn’t help but lean over and kiss him, rather enthusiastically. Harry, I could tell, was caught off guard, but equally enthusiastic. Suddenly, I wasn’t holding the goblet of pumpkin juice anymore because my arms were around Harry. Shocked, I broke the kiss to see where I’d dropped it, as Harry, unconcerned, moved to sucking on my neck. I saw it sitting firmly on the coffee table. Confused, I saw Harry’s wand in his hand. Satisfied I hadn’t made a mess in Harry’s home, I moved to return to Harry’s lips. 

A second later, Harry pulled back. He looked grim.

“What?” I asked, looking up to Harry’s face.

“I can't believe we still haven’t told Molly that we're moving out.”


	15. Arranging

Once Harry and I had eaten our lunch and said goodbye to Kreacher, we headed back to the Burrow. Since it was a nice day, Ron, Harry and I went out on our brooms. Then, Angelina and George showed up too and joined us. We tried playing girls versus boys, which was nearly even. But eventually they figured a strategy, George and Ron successfully passed to each other, using Harry to distract us. After an hour, we were all exhausted and landed on the ground in the garden. 

I looked to Angelina. “I think it should be our goal to wipe the floor with them before training starts.” I told her. She laughed.

“You realize that only gives us a handful of days, right?” She asked, brushing some dark hair out of her face. I saw her eyes following George, who was walking into the kitchen. I patted her on the back.

“We should still aim for it.” I told her, walking into the kitchen myself. “Can you come over and practice some more?” 

She nodded. “I think that would be a good idea. I can’t practice at my house, it’s in the city.” Then she looked up.

“Angelina!” Mum cried. “So lovely to see you, dear. Will you stay for dinner?” 

“I’d like that Mrs. Weasley.” She answered, sitting on the bench next to George. Ron and Harry were opposite them. I took the place next to Harry. George waved his wand and got us all tall glasses of water. We downed them in silence.

After we’d cooled down, we put our brooms in our rooms. George and Angelina’s were by the kitchen door. Then Ron, Harry and I went to Bill’s room to talk.

Harry looked at me. 

“We’ve been asking around the ministry about any builders that would want to work on the house.” He started. “I’ve got a few lined up to talk to.” 

I nodded, then he sighed a little. 

“I’d really like to ask Arthur if he had any suggestions but…” He let that hang. 

“You think we should tell them soon?” I asked, looking from Harry to my brother. 

We shared a flash of anxiety. None of us wanted to leave Mum alone in the house with no one for her to look after. Though, as I thought of it, I suppose that she had lived alone with Dad when we were at Hogwarts. At least this way, we’d be able to come for dinner anytime. That thought made me feel a bit better.

“Honestly,” Harry looked at me, apologetically, “I’d like to tell them tonight.”

I looked at Ron, who seemed surprised. Then he spoke.

“What if we just tell them that you two are moving out, and wait to tell them about Hermione and I.” He wavered, trying to avoid getting himself mixed up. I threw him a disparaging look.

I laughed once. 

“Can you see Mum and Dad being happy about their seventeen year old daughter moving out to live with her boyfriend, by themselves?” I asked, as I said it, it sounded ridiculous. After all, I was only seventeen, but I didn’t feel seventeen. I felt like I’d lived through a ten-year war over the past year. 

Ron looked at me, obviously thinking the same thing as me. That I was too young for the step I was making. He looked at Harry, who gave him a stead, easy gaze full of understanding, except I didn’t understand. Obviously Ron did, because that look was slapped off his face.

“Yea, I don’t see them liking that.” My brother said, finally. “Much better to say that you’re moving in with your brother and his two best friends.” 

He smiled. 

My eyebrows furrowed a little at the phrasing. I didn’t exactly like the way that sounded, because it felt like Ron was taking ownership of Harry. But I had to admit, it would sound much better like that to Mum and Dad. Though on the other hand, it might seem like I’m trailing along behind them, not that my part is integral to the plan and therefore dispensable.

I looked up, both Harry and Ron were studying my facial expression. 

I sighed, throwing my hands up. 

“I guess we should tell them. Tonight.” The last word was dragged from my mouth.

“I’ll go see Hermione and ask her to come.” Ron skipped out, excited to see Hermione I’m sure, not because of the conversation that loomed ahead of us. Now it was just Harry and I. I leaned onto Harry, a bit too hard and we laid back on Bill’s old bed.

“This is going to be hard.” I told him. “I bet Mum will try to let you and Ron go, but make me stay.”

“That plan would not make me happy.” He told me. “I won’t let that happen, as long as you want to be with me, you will be.” He squeezed his arms around me. I put my head on his shoulder. We were both sweaty and dirty from playing Quidditch, but neither of us cared.

After a few moments of silence, I said, “You really got Ron on your side now.” I told him, impressed. “How’d that happen?”

Harry laughed once. 

“I just had a talk with Ron.” He said, vaguely.

“What did you say?” I turned my head to look up at him, curious.

He smiled, then rolled on his side, head propped up on an elbow. I did the same. 

“I asked if he thought I was a good person, who was honourable and loyal. He said yes. I asked him if there was any other guy he knew that he thought was more good, honourable and loyal than me. He said no, which was generous of him.” 

He seemed a little embarrassed, having to repeat the praise Ron had given him. 

“So I told him that I loved you, and that I would be the same person he knew me to be with you, forever. Which by his own reasoning, would mean that he didn’t know of anyone better deserving of you.” He paused, and I smiled. It was weird that my brother and boyfriend had such a close relationship, but of course it came in handy. 

“I promised that I would take care of you better than anyone ever could and I promised that I would always try to make you happy.” He said this, so tenderly. If I had not grown up around boys and learned to hold back tears whenever possible, I would’ve teared up. I reached out and brushed my fingertips across his sweaty cheek. 

“That was very sweet.” I said. “I love you.” I leaned over and kissed him once, holding his face to mine. An obnoxious knock on the open door interrupted us.

We both turned. It was George, I turned just in time to see Angelina smack the back of his head.

“Dinner, you two.” He said, eyeing us. He had a combination of emotions in his face. I knew he was warring himself between hating his little sister’s boyfriend and knowing said boyfriend was a good person. 

I sighed and sat up. When George and Angelina left, I looked to Harry. 

“Looks like you may need to talk to George too.” I laughed. 

We went downstairs and sat down on the bench. Ron and Hermione came in just as we’d seated. Hermione sat next to me and Ron was beside her. I hadn’t gotten a chance to really talk to Hermione about living together, but I could see from her expression she was excited about the arrangement, but uncomfortable about the conversation to come. I kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand. 

Dad came in setting his case by the door and greeted us. Taking Angelina’s hand, he, like everyone else in the family, was very pleased that George had her. It was clear that George smiled easier and laughed more frequently when she was around. I knew George would never really be the same person he was before Fred died, but he would be happy at least, of that I was sure. I watched them from the corner of my eye and saw Angelina kiss George where his missing ear should have been. I caught him glance back at her with an easy smile. I looked away before they saw me. Harry took my hand, and I knew he’d seen them too. 

When we’d all seated, Mum brought the food over. Dad asked us what we did today. One by one, we told him what we’d done. Harry and I obviously left out the part where we went to Godric’s Hollow. Hermione was going to get her schoolbooks this week as she’d recently gotten her Hogwart’s letter. I was very interested in knowing how Hogwarts had settled. I hoped McGonagall had everything fixed as normal. Who would replace the professors? I realised McGonagall wouldn’t be teaching Transfiguration, since she was now Headmistress, which meant she would have to find a professor to teach, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies, Potions, and who knows what other professors might have decided to leave due to recent events. I asked the others this between bites, and they’d no answers either.

I had finished eating but didn’t move to leave. The four of us stayed until George and Angelina said their goodbyes and left. Mum and Dad looked at us, seeming confused. I looked from Ron to Hermione then to Harry, and took a deep breath.

“Mum, Dad, we want to talk to you about something.” I started.

Mum’s pleasant expression darkened. I instinctively cringed into Harry’s side. 

“Do you want to start?” I asked Harry, who cleared his throat.

“Molly, Arthur, a little while ago, I obtained ownership of my parent’s home in Godric’s Hollow.” He told them. Mum’s expression brightened. “I should have gotten it a year ago, but somehow the ministry didn’t feel like tracking me down when I was on the run with Hermione and Ron.” I laughed sourly at his rye joke. The others did too, because we all knew that they had tried to track Harry down, just not for the purpose of transferring property.

“What are you going to do with it?” Dad asked, curious. “Are you going to leave it as a monument?” 

“No.” He answered. “I’m going to rebuild it.” He smiled a little, looking between Mum and Dad.

“That’s a wonderful idea.” Mum cooed. “Give another family a chance for happiness.” 

I looked at Harry, knowing that Mum was right, but she didn’t know how right. Harry’s eyes were full of hope for the future when he returned my look. Mum had pretty much nailed it. We hadn’t talked about the future in concrete terms, exactly, but I knew he and I both hoped a family would live there in his house, our family. I grinned a hair, and looked away, taking a sip from my goblet before Mum and Dad would notice that second of time exchange between us and make them worried.

“Well.” He began again. “I had an idea.” He stopped, looking from over my head to Hermione and Ron. “There’s a carriage house so there’s plenty of room, and we’ve all, er, kind of decided to move in there, as soon as it’s built up again.” He told them. I felt Hermione lean away from the table as though she was ready to duck under it if Mum began to throw food.

Mum opened her mouth and closed it, looking at the four of us. She narrowed her eyes a little and pursed her lips. Dad had looked at us, looking mildly confused. He spoke first, to my surprise.

“So this carriage house, it’s a separate building. Will Ginny and Hermione be living there, while Ron and Harry take the house?” He asked. Mum looked at him, as though he was absurdly naïve, which, of course, he was, if he really believed that.

It was tempting to lie about that detail. I looked at Ron and Hermione, who wore guilty expressions. Then Hermione cleared her throat.

“To be honest, Mr. Weasley, that isn’t really our intention.” She let him down. “We would be living there as…” She struggled over an appropriate word. “couples.” She decided on. 

I winced, turning my head away. That was bordering on an awkward topic that I really rather not have in front of my father. I took Harry hand under the table. His grip was steady, unlike mine, which was weak and shaky.

Slowly, I raised my head to my father, who was only looking at me. As his only daughter, I’d always been his innocent angel, his sweet little girl. The only tender or delicate child that he could really hug and kiss whenever he wanted because I was a girl and was supposed to be hugged and kissed more than boys. I knew he was proud of me. He knew I was powerful, holding my own with my brothers and living through the fights at Hogwarts and the Ministry over the years. But he looked at me now, and I almost closed the deal, and said no, I’ll stay home. Arthur Weasley realised that he didn’t have a little girl anymore, or at least wouldn’t after I moved in with my manly, dark wizard-slaying boyfriend.

I kept my mouth shut. Dad’s reaction was worse than I’d hoped for. I’d hoped for anger, expected it really, from Mum especially, who was gripping Dad’s shoulder.

“Ginny,” Mum said. I was thankful to break Dad’s gaze. She looked relatively calm. “I have accepted that you are giving up on your education.” I sighed. She was throwing that in my face. “But I don’t want you off somewhere unsupervised when you should really be in school.”

I took a deep breath, controlling my emotions. 

“Mum.” I started. “Dad.” I flicked my eyes to him, then back to Mum. “I am an adult. I realise that it is very soon. But I will be training with the Harpies soon, and that is something I hope you’ll learn to accept. After training ends in two months, I will either make the team, or be an alternate. Regardless, I will have a job, and I will be going to work, just like Harry and Ron. I happened to have chosen a career that benefits in an early start. It is also something that will make me really happy. Another thing that will make me very happy is living with Harry, Ron and Hermione. If it comforts you at all, I will promise you that if for some reason I don’t like living with them and that I’d be happier at home, here, I’ll move back.” I told them. I finally mustered the courage to look at Dad. “But honestly, I don’t think that will happen.” 

After my spiel, no one said anything for about three breaths. Mum and Dad looked at each of the four of us. 

“Mum, Dad.” Ron said, finally. “I know Ginny is young. But she’ll be living with me, too. You know I’ll make sure she’s okay. Harry and I were bound to move out at some point, and can you blame Ginny for wanting to be with us?” Ron put an arm around Hermione. “Hermione will be there if she needs a girl to talk to. I’m also pretty confident that you can count on us coming around for dinner several times a week, as well.” Ron’s voice was light and confident. I looked at him, appreciating the true growth in him from a year ago. I patted his hand that was around Hermione.

Mum and Dad looked maybe slightly more relaxed, though not by much. They just sat there and stared. Eventually the four of us stood, and left. There was little more we could say. Hermione left with Ron, who was taking her back home. Harry and I went to Bill’s bedroom, with the door open, and talked. Harry and I had always made sure that whenever we were in a room together a door was open. I think it gave comfort to my parents.


	16. Dreaming

The next day, Angelina came by early and woke me up. Jolted into awareness, I dressed, putting on the pants George and Charlie got me for Quidditch, and grabbed my Firebolt. We ran drills all morning, stopping for twenty minutes at noon for lunch. Mum didn’t really speak to me. 

As we ate, I told Angelina about our plan. I wondered when Harry was going to talk to Dad about builders. Hopefully, Dad wouldn’t begrudge Harry because of the fact that his presence in my life turned me from a little girl into a woman, in his eyes. After we’d eaten, Angelina led me in land exercises, while our stomachs digested the food. Around two, we scrimmaged, one on one trying to get the ball into one of the rings, but neither could hold onto the ball for more than a minute. After a minute, we’d throw the quaffle as hard and far as we could and the other had to go get it. We played that for two hours. 

For a cool down, Angelina and I ran and ran so more. For an hour straight, she lead me through a field, then I’d lead her down a stream, then she’d find a trail, which ended in another field. We took turns leading the way, making up our own path. Eventually, we made our way back to the Burrow, falling on our backs in the garden, chests heaving for air. Like we’d scheduled it, the sky opened up and rain fell. For ten minutes, we let the rain cool us off. I finally sat up and stretched out my muscles with Angelina following suit. It was five-thirty, when Ron and Harry walked up. 

I was bent in half, stretching my calves and hamstrings, as they walked by. I noticed Harry observing my hindside as I rolled up to a standing position. 

“Hey.” I said, my eyes half-open from exhaustion.

“Angelina run you ragged?” He said, looking at Angelina, still stretching on the ground.

“She did her fair share of running me.” Angelina protested. She bent her legs and stood slowly. “Oh, god. I’m going to be sore tomorrow.”

“No kidding.” I agreed, following Harry and Ron into the house. “Same time tomorrow?” 

I turned. Angelina was going to go back home. “I’ll be here.”

I took a long shower. I was sweaty, dirty, and sore. The water that ran down the drain was brown with mud for the first minute. I washed my hair, massaging my scalp. I ate dinner slowly, nearly falling asleep right there at the table. I didn’t notice how Dad and Mum were because my single goal was picking up my fork and putting it in my mouth, hoping I’d managed to get some food on it.

Right after dinner, I bid everyone good night and went to bed early.

 

_There were lights of spells flashing everywhere._

_I skirted to avoid them while narrowly missing flying stones over my head as walls were blasted out from all sides. Bodies thrown about everywhere struck dead with a flash of green. I didn’t look at their frozen faces or lifeless bodies. I focused on staying alert and defending myself. I focused on staying alive. I didn't know where my family was, so I couldn't protect them. Too many of my friends were scattered about so I couldn't protect them. Harry was no where to be found, so I couldn't protect him either._

_I tripped on a step and caught the railing just before I fell. My flailing arm hit someone, knocking their wand out of their hand. Screams erupted all around me, I turned searching for the cause._

_The world spun for a moment before my feet found the next step that was entact. A booming, but cold voice that shook the walls around me saying terrifying words that could destoy my world._

_Suddenly, I was running into the Entrance Hall and out the front doors. I saw a wall of hooded figures, a body dangling from one of them. The lifeless face is one that I will remember until the day I die. The body is laid at my feet. I see his face and closed eyes, which would never open showing me their entrancing greenness and wonderful intelligence again, a cold high laugh sounded…_

 

I bolted up in bed, lightning flashed, thunder clapped and my window vibrated against the sound. My hand flew to my bedside table, finding a rectangle mirror. 

“Harry?” I asked, wanting to see his face so badly. “Harry. Harry, are you awake?” 

I’d gone to bed early, but I think it was past midnight now. I heard a groan of a waking man. The vision in my mirror change and I saw his face, glasses being pushed onto his face.

“Ginny?” He asked, groggy. “Are you alright?”

I sigh, a little hysteria coming out in it. Harry’s eyes widened at the sound and he sat up a bit more.

“N-no.” I said, trying to calm myself. Lightning flashed in my window, the thunder making me jump. “I’m fine. I j-just had a nightmare. I’m awake. It’s over.” I soothed myself, beginning to feel like a five year-old who couldn’t sleep during thunderstorms. 

“I’m coming.” He said, setting down the mirror. I heard shuffling.

“No, it’s okay. Really.” I protested. Then I heard the quiet creak of a door upstairs, then another creak of a step. A second later, Harry opened my door. He was wearing a grey t-shirt, and dark blue boxers. He seemed perfectly comfortable in front of me. I smiled to myself when he’d turned to close my door. I scooted over in bed, making room for him, as he slid in. As he slid in, I realised that I was wearing a nightshirt and underwear, having been too tired to dig around for shorts. I saw Harry’s eyebrows rise as he noted this too.

He slid in my bed, putting an arm around me.

“What happened?” He asked, softly. His hand was stroking my hair. I was on my side, an arm across his chest and my head on his shoulder, holding him tightly. 

“It was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I brushed off. “I think the thunder and lightning must’ve triggered a memory.” I shook my head, nuzzling into Harry.

“Which one?” He asked. His voice was very soothing.

“The battle at Hogwarts.” I confessed. His arm tightened around me. I felt ashamed that I was the one traumatised from that night, when I’d been through nothing compared to him.

“Was it exactly like your memories?” He asked, merely curious, trying to work out my tension.

“No. It was moving too fast at some parts, and then slowing down others. Then a few things were out of order and one part was completely inaccurate.” I remembered looking at Harry dead at my feet, when he hadn’t actually been dead, nor laid at my feet. “I don’t want to talk about that part.” 

I felt Harry nod.

“Ok.” He ran his fingers through my hair. I heard him smell my shampoo and smiled to myself. 

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too.” I told him. I could still hear the thunder, which sounds a great deal like the walls exploding at Hogwarts, but the sound of Harry’s breath moving in and out effectively distracted me from noticing any other sound in the world.


	17. Training and Worrying

Lips pressed against my forehead when I became aware of light shining through my eyelids.

“Time to get up.” He whispered in my ear. I groaned and rolled onto my side, burying my face into Harry’s warm chest, hiding from the light. 

“I could get used to this.” I said. My voice muffled against his t-shirt. He laughed lightly and moved his arm around me, hugging me to him.

“Me too.” He said, leaning his head on mine. 

Footsteps sounded down the steps outside my room. We both jerked up. We were silent as the sound passed. I hoped Mum didn’t have a habit of looking in on me while I slept. As the sound moved past my door continuing down the next flight of stairs, we exhaled. I laughed once turning to Harry. His hair was even more stuck up more than it usually was. I reached over and tried to smooth down his hair. It popped right back up. Harry smiled. My bed was narrow, so we were still rather close to each other. I sighed and laid back down on his chest.

“I really do like waking up next to you.” I told him. Lying next to him like this made me remember the last time that we’d slept and woken up together. That time was not as happy, it had been the night after everything changed.

“I’m going to ask your Dad about builders today. I think it might need to be done by hand, the Muggle way, for part of it at least. The house was damaged by a curse. I don’t know if magic can repair it.” 

“Is Dad being nice since we told him our plan?” I asked, not remembering much because I was so tired yesterday.

“He was alright. Not completely normal, but polite.” He said. I could hear the little tinge of hurt in his voice. Harry had always held a close relationship with my Dad, I think mostly due to the fact that he’d been raised by Muggles and knew the answer to any question Dad might have.

“He’ll come around.” I encouraged. Again, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Harry and I held our breath, and exhaling as the sound passed. Harry moved to get out of bed.

“Not if he catches me in your room.” He contradicted. I pouted. My bed felt colder and too big with him gone. He smiled at my reaction and kissed my head. “Have a good time with Angelina.” He said, softly as he went to my door.

“Have a good time at work.” I wished. “Be safe.” 

With a final grin, he peeked out my door and bolted out my door. I listened very carefully, trying to hear him on the steps or hear his door open and close. I heard nothing. I smiled to myself and got out of bed.

When my feet were on the floor, I wanted to cry my muscles hurt so bad. In my room, I warmed them up, loosening my arms and back, then working out my legs. Then I got dressed and went downstairs. I tried not to limp as I walked to the bench for breakfast.

“Morning.” I greeted Mum. 

Dad was reading the Prophet, which I still refused to do, despite their change in loyalties. I knew that the writers were probably threatened into writing their codswallop, but it would take a while for me to forgive the libellous writings of ‘Undesirable Number One.’ 

That said Undesirable came trotting down the stairs moments later, followed by Ron. It was still funny to see them in their work robes, going to work at the Ministry. Just a year ago, they both couldn’t have set foot into the Ministry without being arrested. 

The Aurors’ Office had almost tracked down all of the Death Eaters that had fled Hogwarts after the battle. Harry had told me they’d realised Amycus and Alecto Carrow had escaped Hogwarts during the battle, even though McGonagall had tied them up. When I’d fully recounted to Harry all the Carrows had done to students at Hogwarts, and how Neville and I had been particular favorites of theirs, Harry had been hunting them with a frightening vengeance. I was regretting my honesty now, fearing that Harry’s objectivity and sensibility had been lost. I really hoped his anger wouldn’t hinder his ability to keep a clear head. I comforted myself with the knowledge that Harry was not alone. He had a slew of experienced Aurors at his back.

Harry sat down beside me, though not too close. Ron sat opposite us. They greeted us quietly before spooning porridge into their bowls and pouring their tea. We sat in silence, rather awkwardly. Thankfully, Angelina showed up five minutes later and I eagerly stood from the table, away from my father’s oppressive silence. I took my dishes to the sink and ran upstairs to get my broom. When I came back down, Harry and Ron were setting off to work. 

They were leading the way to the kitchen door before Ron turned around, looking to Mum and Dad.

“We’re heading out into the field today, so we might be late.” Seeing my scared face, he added, “Kingsley will be with us and Neville, we’ll be alright.”

I held my face neutral until we were outside. Angelina closed the door and I turned to Harry, trying hard to hide my worry. He stepped up to me.

“I’ll be fine.” He assured, resting his hands on my shoulders. I just leaned into his chest, hiding my face. After a second, I took his face and directed it to me. I stared into his green eyes.

“Safe.” I explained. “It’s this thing that happens when you don’t get hurt. You’re not terribly familiar with it, I know, but I want you and Safe to be best mates, alright?” 

I stared at him.

“ _Safe._ Okay?” I spoke as I would to a pet, making sure he understood.

He smiled and chuckled once.

“I’ll do my best.” 

He kissed me. The hand on my face secured him to me for a second longer than usual. I heard feet shuffling nearby. I released Harry, at least Ron had graduated from a throat clearing to foot shuffling, I thought. Any improvement was improvement nonetheless.

I turned and hugged Ron, who was surprised. 

“I love you. Be careful.” I told him, stepping back. Ron was a little red, which made me smile. 

Then, we parted. Harry and Ron were walking one way. Angelina and I were walking the other. 

 

All day I was distracted. Angelina had bought a book with exercises for Quidditch players, and one of them entailed placing your broom four to five meters in the air and practice climbing onto your broom hanging from one hand over and over again. As soon as I climbed back up, Angelina would push me and I’d have to catch myself and climb again. 

I went first, growing in frustration with each push, but each time I climbed up it got easier. When it was Angelina’s turn, it was nice to get to push her off her broom for a change. Once we got the hang of it, we competed to see who could fall and climb back on the most times in three minutes. I climbed back up six times and was still working on my seventh when Angelina stopped the timer. Angelina almost got eight, which made me think that made she’d practiced it before today. 

At noon, I wanted to go see how Elsie was getting along at Grimmauld Place. Training would start in just six days, so I figure we earned a bit of a break before we thoroughly wipe ourselves out. I took Angelina with me. It had been a little over a week since I saw her. Harry had sent his new owl, Chip, for her to use. He was a beautiful tawny bird with an affinity for chips, as we’d discovered. I knew that Elsie was receiving some children soon from an orphanage that was over crowded. 

I Apparated with Angelina and since I was one of many Secret-Keepers for Grimmauld Place after Dumbledore died, I could let her in. She gave the Lion doorknob a smile as I led her in. I called out for Elsie, but she was not hard to find. She was leading a group of children up the stairs, looking like they’d just eaten from the smears of peanut butter on their faces. 

“Hi, there!” She called out, stopping on the stairs. The dozen of children behind her turned and looked at us. They seemed to be a mix of ages from four to eleven. One looked like she would be starting Hogwarts soon. 

“Everyone,” she looked to the children. “This is our friend, Ginny.” 

“Hi, Ginny.” The younger ones chanted. I smiled. The older ones looked too dignified to resort to calling out that way. Three of the girls, including the eldest girl, waved at me instead.

“Hi, guys!” I said back. “This is my friend Angelina.” 

“Hi, Angelina.” They chimed. The older ones just waved, as before.

“Hi.” She said back. “Where are you heading to?” 

“We were going to go up to the drawing room.” Elsie answered and continued up the stairs. 

Angelina and I followed behind. There was a little boy that lagged behind. I went over and scooped him up. My arms held him under his arms. He giggled as I carried him up the stairs with his wiggling legs. 

At the landing, I set him down. He pouted at me, disappointed, but then took my hand.

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

“Timmy.” He answered, in an adorable voice. I heard Angelina laugh at the high sound.

“Nice to meet you, Timmy.”

Once we got to the drawing room, we sat down on the carpet. Elsie had certainly been working hard. The fancy furniture was pushed to the walls and the carpeted floor was full of exciting looking toys. Little Timmy let go of my hand and ran to the carpet, setting out for his favourite toy. Once the children were occupied, I went over to Elsie.

“So when did they get here?” I asked, curious. They seemed very settled.

“Last night.” She answered. “I have them split into three rooms. The little girls, the boys and the two older girls by themselves.” I looked over the room of children. There was another older girl who looked about nine.

“They seem well situated.” Angelina had come over. “Is it just you watching them?” 

She nodded. 

“They’re not too hard to handle. They are all good kids. I think they are very grateful to be here.” She said, looking to me. “The place they came from looked like a hospital. Very white and sterile. This place feels more like a home to them, already.” 

I looked at them, feeling a warmth in my chest. I needed to get Harry over here soon to see this. Knowing that we had helped these children feel safe and settled was so gratifying. 

As I watched, the eldest girl was breaking up a small argument between two boys. One was probably seven, and the other looked about five. She settled it neatly. She impressed me with her forthrightness. I could see that she was very mature for her age, and was accustomed to mothering littler ones. I was glad that they had settled nicely. Grimmauld Place had always been a cold, scary place in my mind. However, with all the work Kreacher had done, it no longer looked that way anymore. It made me very happy to see this really could be a happy home for them.

“That older girl,” I pointed. “How old is she?”

“That’s Amy. She’s eleven.” Elsie told me. “She’ll be starting Hogwarts in two weeks. I need to get her over to Diagon Alley, so she can get her supplies.” For the first time, she looked concerned about that feat with a dozen kids.

I got an idea. 

“My friend Hermione is going school shopping this week. I’m sure she’d love to take her.” 

Elsie smiled, her face relaxing. 

“That would be wonderful. I’m sure she’d like that.” 

“Amy?” Elsie called. The girl looked up, her sandy blond hair whipping back from her face. She trotted over. 

“Yes, Miss Elsie?” She asked, politely.

“Ginny says she has a friend that can take you to Diagon Alley to get your things for school.”

Amy’s face lit. 

“Wonderful.” She turned to me. “I’m so excited to go to Hogwarts!”

I smiled. 

“I was too, when I first went.” I shared. “I had six older brothers before me that went there, and I was very ready when it was my turn. You’re going to love it there.”

She smiled, but a little sadly. 

“Well, I’ll be the first of us.” She looked behind her at the rest of the kids. “So I guess I can be their older one.” 

I smiled. It was nice to see that she knew that family wasn’t necessary determined by blood, but by love. She clearly loved her companions.

Angelina and I stayed there, playing with the kids for a few hours. I’d learned almost all of their names by the end. Elsie assured me that she wasn’t being over worked and she was ask if she needed help. She had a friend, Patricia, who came in the mornings to help her out. She was also creating a schedule for volunteers to come in the afternoon to entertain the kids, so she could get some rest.

 

I felt much better after visiting the kids. It was its own kind of workout when the little boys and girls discovered you didn’t get mad if they climbed all over you. I was surprised to find how happy they were and that they could find joy in anything, despite the fact that they had no family to live with. They all asked why the doorknobs were shaped like lions. When I explained about the Houses at Hogwarts, they were all determined to be in Gryffindor. I really couldn’t wait to come back with Harry.

As I thought Harry’s name, I remembered that he, Ron, Neville, and Kingsley were after the Carrows. I told myself that I shouldn’t be worried because the Carrows were not particularly adept at duelling. They were mediocre in their skill with spells, but unfortunately, they more than made up for it in vehemence and cruelty. That was the part that had me nervous. Angelina looked at me curious, noticing the shift in my mood, but didn’t say anything. We went back the Burrow; it was near five o’clock. Angelina retrieved her broom and bag of Quaffles and went home. 

Mum was excited to hear about the children at Grimmauld Place. I was pretty sure Mum was going to invite the lot over soon. If there was a thing Mum was brilliant at, it was being a mum. Maybe the little ones could fill the void Ron, Harry and I would leave when we moved out. Dad got home from work later than usual. He explained that he had waited around to hear if anyone had word from the boys, but nothing yet. An hour past dinnertime, we didn’t wait any longer for them and set to eating. I thought it would be awkward for me eating dinner with my parents after I’d told them that I want to move out and live with my boyfriend, but they seemed perfectly normal. But they also didn’t bring that up, so maybe they’d suppressed the idea. As we were finishing dinner, close to nine-thirty, a silver mist of an animal leapt into the room. I turned and saw a graceful stag before me.

“We’re tracking the Carrows, won’t be home tonight. We’re all fine.” Harry’s stag said.

The three of us stared at the spot where the stag dissolved, all hoping for more information but none more came. Mum sighed, sadly, and stood taking our dishes to the sink by hand. About five minutes later, Hermione knocked on the door. From her face, I could tell Ron had sent her a message too. I gave her a half-smile.

“I, uh, didn’t feel like waiting at home.” She explained. 

We both sat at the bench with Mum and Dad. Mum asked how her parents were doing. Hermione told us that they were well. I wanted to ask if she’d told them about her moving out, but didn’t want to remind my parents that they were unhappy with me.

Then my memory jogged. 

“Hermione,” I started. “I went by Grimmauld Place today, and Elsie has a twelve little ones living with her there now.”

Hermione was as happy for an interesting distraction as I was. I told her about the kids and how happy they seemed. Then, I explained all about Amy and her shopping needs. Hermione was more than happy to take her to Diagon Alley. She borrowed Errol and wrote to Elsie, letting her know that she would come by on Thursday, two days from now, to take Amy. She took her time composing the letter and tying it to Errol’s leg, obviously trying to fill up the time before she had nothing to dwell on but Ron and Harry in harm’s way.

Eventually, we both got tired and went to my room. We set up Hermione’s old camp bed beside mine and fell asleep. Having another in the room comforted us both. I guess worrying together is better than worrying alone. I can only imagine how strange it must be for Hermione to be waiting behind while Harry and Ron were off on an adventure. She was accustomed to always be with them on adventures. I, at least, was used to be waiting behind.


	18. Vacationing

I woke up very early with a jolt. Immediately tiptoeing up two flights of stairs to see if Harry was in his bed, I was hoping he’d gotten in late last night and hadn’t wanted to wake me. I opened his door. His bed was made and there was no one in it. 

My heart sunk. 

Rationally, I knew Harry had prevailed over much more outstanding obstacles with significantly less support from other, but rationality had no part to play in my mind when loved ones were in danger. By Harry’s bed, I saw his mirror. I picked it up and looked into it to see my bedroom ceiling two floors below. I set it back down, trying not to begrudge Harry for not taking it with him. 

Startling me, Chip flapped through Harry’s open window. I extended my arm, and he lit on my elbow. I turned back out of Harry’s room and closed the door. Chip side-shuffled onto my shoulder. I giggled as his beak rifled through my hair, tickling me. Chip was a funny bird. I knew Harry would miss Hedwig for a while, but he definitely picked a good owl. He was curious and intelligent. I looked at him, and I could sense that he knew that Harry was not available to him. I stroked his chest, which made Chip puff up, trying to impress. I laughed. Chip clearly had attitude. 

I walked into my room to find Hermione sitting up in her mat. 

“Not here. I just checked.” I told her, going to sit on my bed. I indicated Chip, “This is Harry’s new owl, Chip. I think he’s got a reply to your letter to Elsie.” 

I pointed my arm toward Hermione, and Chip shuffled down my arm instead of flying. I supposed he was fond of walking.

Hermione appraised Chip. 

“Well, you’re a beautiful dear, aren’t you?” She cooed. 

Chip flapped over to her shoulder, liking her good taste.

Hermione and I went down for breakfast. Mum was quietly polite, and Dad spoke limitedly. Angelina showed up, guessing why Hermione had come and sat down instead of insisting we get to training. She made no mention of practice. After I’d eaten, it was I who insisted that Angelina and I practice, despite her offer to wait. I needed a task to keep me busy. I grabbed my broom and the three of us went out into the field. Hermione brought a book and relaxed in the tall grasses as Angelina and I practiced. 

Today we practiced partner moves. I hung from one hand and Angelina would fly by grabbing a leg and swinging it up over my broom. It was actually kind of fun, swinging like that, until she messed up and didn’t let go in time, causing me to drag on my broom. After that, we choreographed a pattern to throw the Quaffle around. I’d throw it sideways, and then she’d swoop down, throwing it straight up. Then we’d reverse positions, with me slightly ahead of her and I’d throw it diagonally backwards and up. It was hard. We tried to stay flying in one direction constantly while changing positions and throwing it, as if we were in a game heading toward the goal hoops. The second round we were flying the circuit, when I looked ahead of me, toward the Burrow. Two figures were walking slowly toward the house. One appeared to be limping. I threw Angelina the Quaffle and flew towards Hermione. 

“Hermione!” I called out. She looked up from her book. “Hold out your hand!”

Confused for a moment, she complied, holding her hand out, as if to shake my shake. I swooped down to her, slowly slightly, and caught her hand. She jumped as I pulled her onto my broom, and I took off toward the house. She yelped as her arms grasped my waist, one hand still holding her book. As I rose higher, over the hill, she saw them too. I heard her intake of air when she noticed one limping.

I dove towards them, slowly barely as I approached. Then abruptly, I slowed, letting myself slide off my broom, breaking into a run for three steps before crushing into Harry’s arms. Behind me, I vaguely heard shuffling. I peaked behind me, seeing Ron catch Hermione before she fell. 

“Oops.” I said, realising Hermione probably hadn’t been expecting that kind of dismount. 

Harry laughed in my ear, his arms tightened around me. He smelled like the woods and smoke. 

I pulled away, taking him in. It was Ron that had been limping. I frowned, and inspected the rest of Harry. There was a fresh layer blood staining his left sleeve. 

“Let’s get inside.” I said, deciding not to fuss but to act more productively by taking him to the solution. 

Hermione helped Ron into the garden, opening the gate. I snagged by my broom where it rested hovering hip height in front of us. Angelina came soaring down, lightly tapping onto the garden grass. 

“You guys okay?” She asked, looking Ron and Harry up and down.

They both grunted at her, not really answering. She brushed that off and opened the kitchen door, getting Mum. By the time we were walking in the kitchen, Mum was bustling down the stairs a rag in her hand, Angelina tromping down behind her.

“Oh dear!” She observed, first noticing Ron’s limp. She went around the bench as Ron sat down, waving her wand to Summon her healing kit. Harry sat down beside Ron and I sat next to him looking at his sleeve. Harry reached his right arm around and shrugged off his shirt, gasping as the fabric raked across his wound. I took his left arm in hand and waved my wand to Summon the Essence of Dittany that Harry had given me from my room. The cut was deep, but clean, like a knife had gone through the outside of his bicep. I looked at Harry’s face. His face was whiter, now that he’d seen the cut. I caught the Dittany in hand and unscrewed the top. 

I carefully tipped the bottle over, letting a tiny stream of liquid flow onto the cut. Harry gritted his teeth as steam rose from the gash. I waited, watching the cut heal. I looked over my shoulder seeing Ron’s knee swollen and with a sick greenish tinge. Hermione was holding Ron’s hand, as he closed his eyes tightly, leaning his head back. Mum was murmuring something under her breath, wand passing over his skin. The odd colour was slowly receding. 

Returning my attention to Harry, the cut had closed, but it was red and angry. I decided to wait for Mum before I did anything else. I breathed, relieved that Harry was in one piece.

“Anything else hurt?” I asked Harry, looking at him. Besides being a little muddy, he seemed fine. I brushed his hair off his forehead, making him face me.

“No.” He breathed. He sounded exhausted, but I could read his face better than he knew. I took his left hand gently, brushed off the mud, and lifted it to his face. He grimaced a little. I was showing him his scar I must not tell lies. “Alright, my head is throbbing a bit. I knocked heads with Alecto.” I stood leaning over him, smoothing my hands over his head very lightly. I found a bump.

“There?” I asked, placing my pinkie on the spot, so as not to hurt him.

“Yea.” He answered. I sat down again. We both looked to Ron, Hermione and Mum. Angelina was handing Mum stuff from her kit. I watched Mum wrap Ron’s knee, which was a normal colour now. We didn’t speak. I knew Harry and Ron probably were about to fall asleep and didn’t feel like recounting what happened. When Mum had finished with Ron, I showed her Harry’s arm, which she put a cream on and the redness disappeared. Mum patched up the spot on his head with her wand. I saw Harry wince when he used his injured arm to push up from the table, so I helped him stand. I followed him upstairs, until he got to the bathroom door. He turned around, facing me. 

He was still shirtless, which I would’ve enjoyed much more if not for the situation. I noticed a scar, shaped like an oval on his chest. I frowned a little bit and placed a finger over it. Harry looked down at my hand, knowing what I’d seen. When he was less tired and dirty, I’d ask for that story, how he’d gotten it.

“Need any help in there?” I asked, nodding into the bathroom. A little grin that couldn’t help itself spread its way on my face.

Harry’s faced held a grin too. He looked tempted. 

“I guess I can manage.” He admitted, almost regretful.

“Well, if you change your mind…” I let hang. I looked at him directly now. “I missed you.” 

I kissed his mouth before he could anything. He gave me a parting smile, closing the door to the bathroom.

I went downstairs again. Ron was laying along the bench. Mum was packing up the stuff she’d used on Ron into her kit. Angelina and Hermione were sitting on the other side of the table. Ron appeared to be resting.

“Harry’s taking a shower.” I told them and sat down. Angelina had gotten out her book of exercises for Quidditch players. Hermione had a book open, but was looking at Ron instead of reading. Mum finished packing up her potions and went out into the garden. 

Angelina and I looked through the book, talking about what we should try. I turned a page and started reading about a swimming exercise. At first I thought it was strange, but then the book went on to explain the idea of cross-training. We exercised in the air, and on land, why not in the water? The only problem was that the only body of water nearby was a nearby river that was very shallow and very dirty. The exercises sounded really good, though. Then I had an idea.

“What if we took a trip to Bath?” I asked Angelina. “We could train and have a little holiday at the same time.” I smiled, excited by the idea. Angelina looked up from the book, Hermione looked up too, confused.

Angelina nodded. 

“We could do that.” She paused, “Could we go this weekend?”

I shrugged. 

“I don’t see why not.” I looked to Hermione and got an even better plan. “What if we all went? Wouldn’t it be fun to spend the night on a beach? Angelina’s book has some aquatic exercise, but you, Ron and Harry should come too.” 

Then I looked at Angelina. 

“I’m sure George could use a holiday too.” I smiled when she blushed softly through her dark complexion. 

Hermione looked thoughtful. 

“I suppose if Harry and Ron aren’t too opposed to the idea of camping again, so soon. We could use Bill’s tent that I’ve yet to return.” She smiled. “It’s been ages since I’ve been to the beach.”  
I heard Ron groan a little and he poked his head up. 

“I want to go. Even if it does mean camping.” Ron sounded exhausted, but there was definitely an undertone of excitement.

Hermione and Angelina grinned at his response.

“I promise to pack real food this time.” Hermione said gently, making Ron choke out a laugh. I looked at Angelina.

“Do you want to go ask George?” I doubted that my older brother could resist a beach trip as much as my younger one. 

She smiled. 

“I think I will.” She climbed off the bench and bid us farewell. We said ours before she closed the kitchen door.

I looked to Hermione. 

“I hope my bathing suits still fits me.” I realised. The two pairs I owned had been bought three years ago. 

Hermione smiled. 

“I’m sure you can Charm them to fit.”

I nodded. I could tell we were both excited about this. Some real relaxed fun was what we needed. I heard a door close upstairs. 

“I think I hear Harry getting out of the bathroom.” I said to Hermione. “Should we help Ron upstairs?” 

We helped Ron stand, and Hermione helped him up the stairs. His knee seemed to work, which was good, but it was weak. I followed behind to make sure they didn’t fall. Within a few slow minutes, Ron was on the third floor, walking into the bathroom. Hermione and I went back down, but after a flight, I tapped on Harry’s door. I got no answer so I peaked inside. Harry was collapsed, face down on his bed. Hermione went back downstairs, but I stepped in and laid down next to him. He’d thrown on pyjama pants and a t-shirt. I think he was only lightly asleep, because he shifted over when he felt movement on his bed. Gently, I ran my fingers through his damp hair, and was happy not to find the bump that had been there earlier. Then I moved to his shoulder, lifting his sleeve, and saw a shiny pink line across his arm where the cut had been. 

“Finished inspecting?” He asked. His voice was hoarse from drowsiness. He shifted to put his head on my shoulder and laid his left side over me. His left, recently injured, arm held me around my waist. I toed off my shoes and hugged him to me. I pressed my face into his damp hair. I could smell his fresh shampoo smell underneath his own particular scent, which was like honey and cinnamon. It was pleasant and comforting. I closed my eyes, relaxing. 

When I opened my eyes, I could tell the sun was lower. It looked almost time for Dad to get home from work. I shifted to sit up a little, and noticed Harry’s eye flicker open. I watched him decide between sleeping more and waking up. After a moment, his eyes slowly opened and met mine.

“Sleep well?” I whispered. 

“Mmhmm.” He hummed, nuzzling into me. I grinned. He was pretty adorable as he woke. He sat up a little more, wincing when he put pressure on his injured arm. 

“Careful.” I cautioned, helping him sit up on his bed. “How does it feel?”

“It pulls a little bit.” He told me. “I think the dittany does a good job stopping the bleeding and closing the wound, but the muscle repair, my body has to do that on its own.”

I nodded, showing I understood, and then decided to change the subject. I smiled despite myself. 

“Okay. You have two choices. Do you want to hear about something happy, or hear about plans to do something fun?” I asked. Harry looked amused and confused at the same time. 

“How about plans to do something fun?” He chose.

“So Angelina’s book on exercises for Quidditch players talked about some aquatic training, and we were thinking of taking a trip to a beach at Bath this weekend and staying a night. Hermione still has Bill’s tent, and Ron said he didn’t mind camping again so soon if there was a beach involved. Angelina has also gone to invite George. So it’ll be the six of us, what do you think?” I asked, nervous, now that he might not want to go.

He looked pleasantly surprised by my words. 

“That sounds brilliant.” He said. “I’ve never been to a beach.”

“You’ve never seen the ocean?” I asked, surprised. I guessed the Dursleys weren’t much for family vacations that included Harry.

“Oh, no.” He said, laughing humourlessly. “I’ve swam in the ocean.” He told me. “When Dumbledore took me to find one of Tom Riddle’s horcrux, the night he died, I swam in the ocean. But that doesn’t count, and also, there wasn’t a beach, just cliffs.”

“Oh.” I listened, surprised. Then I broke that line of thought. “Well, I am absolutely positive that this will be more fun.” I told him with certainty.

He smiled. “

I believe you.” He paused. “So what was the other something, the happy something?”

I started to tell him about the children Elsie was taking care of. Harry’s face lit up as I described how happy and comfortable they were. He couldn’t wait to get over and play with them too. I told them Hermione’s plans to take Amy to Diagon Alley, and how I knew Mum would be planning something soon too. 

I went downstairs to my room to change out of my Quidditch clothes. Harry and Ron came down to dinner that night looking much better than they had earlier. Ron was walking on his leg tenuously. Harry gritted his teeth a little when he reached out and picked up a bowl of potatoes. Ron and Harry told us about their little adventure. The Carrows had been camping out in the Forbidden Forest. Neville and Kingsley had gone one side and Harry and Ron the other, and they tried to surround them, which worked, because they both were caught. But was not entirely without injury. Neville had gotten Harry out of the way from a Sectumsempra curse aimed for his heart, and only got his arm. Next time I saw Neville, I’d have to thank him. Ron was hit by a spell of Amycus’ own creation, Mum thought, going off how it had appeared. Harry told us that Alecto and Amycus were both in Azkaban now.

We told Mum and Dad about our planned trip to Bath and they took the news gracefully. Hermione said that Angelina had sent word that George was planning on coming too. So the beach trip was on. I had thought we could stay up and plan it, but right after dinner, Ron and Harry headed straight for bed. Instead of being disappointed, I went to bed happy to know everyone I loved was safe.


	19. Beaching

The next day, Angelina and I trained as the days before. At midday, Angelina came up to my room and I tried on my bathing suits. One was a navy blue string bikini, halter, and because it tied up, it fit reasonably well. My breasts were reasonably well covered by the minimal triangular fabric, which was all that mattered. The bottoms were itty bitty, but, again, they fit. My second one was a red one-piece, which would be good for training in, because it was more streamline. The straps were thicker, and the leg holes were cut up to my hipbones, because it, too, was a tad small. Satisfied with that, Angelina showed me hers. She had a white bikini, similar to mine, which looked wonderful against her dark mocha skin. She had two others that were one-piece razorbacks. 

Trying on clothes with Angelina made me feel younger and more normal than I’d felt in a long time. I think that was one reason I was so excited for our trip, because that’s what normal people would do at our age. After we ate lunch, Hermione stopped by, and told us about her trip to Diagon Alley with Amy. Apparently Amy was skipping around so excited, Hermione had to run to keep up with her. Hermione, too, brought over her bathing suits to show us. I think each of us needed reassurance that we looked good in them to muster the courage to wear them in front of our men. Hermione had a red and black print bikini that more or less looked like a bra, and she had two others, a blue halter, and a white and yellow one piece cutout, that was very pretty.

When Ron and Harry came home, Angelina, Hermione and I were sitting in the garden, laughing and chatting. They came and sat with us. When Dad walked up, Harry stood and walked in with him. I guess he was talking to him about builders. George came over for dinner and afterwards we sat outside planning. Harry said that he was going to meet a builder tomorrow in the morning, so we planned to leave around two. George and Angelina trotted off after we’d finalised everything. 

In the morning the next day, Hermione and I went to town and bought food to take with us. I’d packed a small rucksack and Hermione was packing the food in ice and stuffing it in her beaded bag. At two, George and Angelina came together, each with a rucksack, and Harry and Ron tromped down the stairs holding their bags. We said goodbye to Mum, and Hermione led our Disapparation. 

The tight squeeze and plunge into blackness faded and I smelled salty air. I raised my eyelids and saw a beautiful beach and a shining sun. Gulls were flying, cawing out to each other. There were others on the beach, but only maybe twenty people within view. 

“Wow.” Harry admired, beside me. The ocean sounded like a raspy dragon breathing in and out, sleeping.

“Yea.” I agreed. I felt a trickle of sweat run down my neck. The sun was rather hot. We put our bags down in the sand as Hermione dug through her bag and pulled out a tent. We looked around, to see if anyone was looking.

“I think we’re fine,” Ron said. Hermione put down the tent and pulled out her wand, erecting the tent. We all went inside and put our things down. Angelina, Hermione and I went into a side room of the tent to change into our suits. I put on my bikini. I would change into my utilitarian one later when Angelina and I trained. Hermione was putting on her red and black suit, and Angelina in her white one. I grabbed a towel that I had brought, and then as we left the room, threw it back down on a table. I didn’t need to wrap it around me. I was comfortable of how I looked in my suit, even if it was a tad small. The boys had gone outside. I could hear them looking at the beach. Hermione looked a little self-conscious, and Angelina, who was a very athletic, fit person, seemed a little too. Together, me a little bit ahead of them, we walked out of the tent.

Harry, Ron and George, each in their own suits, turned to watch us coming towards them. I grinned when they immediately stopped talking and just looked, each at his designated woman. When we reached them, Harry held out his hand to me. His eyes were very wide, like he didn’t want to miss anything. Enjoying his expression, I lifted his arm and twirled around it, so he could get a three-sixty view. His grin widened as I felt his gaze dip down and back up, he liked that very much. Then, suddenly, I really wanted to be in the ocean. 

“Race you to the water!” I called out to them, taking off to the water. Harry and Angelina were on my heels, George behind them. 

“No fair, I’m still injured!” I heard Ron say behind me.

My feet pounded on the sand, finding it easier to run when I reached the wet sand, which didn’t sink under my feet. I had a head start, but I heard footfalls behind me as my foot splashed the water. I kept running. Then, arms seized my waist, and I was launched into the water. The salty water was crisp and refreshingly cool. When my head broke the surface, I took a breath quickly. I heard Harry laughing. Of course, it was his arms around me.

He let go and I turned to face him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself to him, lifting my legs and wrapping them around him too. I loved the feeling of my bare skin against his, and I was very aware that I wore little more than a bra and panties, actually, less than bra and panties, because the suit was so small. He held me about my waist. Our warm skin was slippery against each other.

“Wasn’t this a good idea?” I asked, kissing his wet cheek.

“Yes, it certainly was.” He smiled, excited. He shook his head, making his hair fly up, splashing me. I laughed, as the water droplets hit my face.

He turned and looked to the beach. Ron was walking with Hermione, just now arriving at the water. George was lifting Angelina up above the water, and threw her down into a wave. She was giggling in a way I’d never heard on her voice before. I’d never really seen Angelina flirt before, I guess. Mostly I’d seen her on the Quidditch pitch or studying in the Gryffindor common room. She could be a serious person, but watching her and George together, I didn’t see much seriousness at all. I couldn’t help but smile, seeing my brother’s happiness.

Hermione yelped at the chill when she got waist deep in the water. Ron laughed and splashed her, causing them to ensue into a splashing war, ending in Hermione shrieking and Ron finally playfully dunking her underwater. Hermione sputtered and brushed her wet hair from her face. Harry walked us away from them, deeper into the water, still holding me. We all played in the water for a half an hour, but then we started to get a little cold and headed out of the water. I observed the seashells as we passed. There were little clams and coquinas of every colour, green, orange, pink, lavender, and white. Ron and Harry sat at the edge of the water in the sand and decided to build a sand castle. I laughed at that. I don’t think either of them had any idea how to build a sandcastle, but said it was something he’d seen Muggles do on TV. Angelina suggested that we go for a run.

“Anyone want to come with us?” I asked, looking from George to Hermione. They both shook their heads and watched Ron and Harry with amused interest.

Angelina and I headed east, our backs against the sun. I liked running barefoot, being able to feel the sand move beneath my feet. I had a minor issue with my suit and the movement of my running, but I held my forearms against my chest, controlling the situation. After fifteen minutes, we turned around, walking for a break. I could feel that my endurance was getting better. I was less winded after running and my soreness wasn’t nearly so bad. As we walked back, we saw Harry and Ron’s castle emerging from the sand. It looked impressive. Getting closer, I discerned a mote, outer wall, inner wall, and a central tower. We were about five meters away, when George and Hermione noticed a large wave coming. They’d forgotten their wands in the tent, and some Muggles were fairly close by, so instead of magical defences, they laid down across the front of the castle, attempting to use their bodies to protect the sand structure.

Angelina and I watched as Ron and Harry frantically built the outer wall higher, but the ocean was not to be overpowered. The water rushed around George and Hermione, passing over the moat, and rising just past the outer wall. Harry and Ron groaned, but laughed at the same time. The water receded back, pulling the sand of the outer wall with it and completely dissolving the moat.

I gave Harry a sympathetic grin when he looked at me with a demoralised expression. It made me feel good watching Ron and Harry play in the sand. I could almost see what it would have been like years ago, if Harry and Ron had grown up together as small children.

Then Harry perked up immediately, shedding his temporary disappointment in the ocean. He and Ron were sandy, head to toe, making me laugh. Hermione had tried to stay sand free, but on a beach, that wasn’t really realistic. George took Angelina back into the ocean. Hermione and Ron went off for a slow, leisurely walk on the beach, which was the only kind of walking Ron was up for at the moment. His limp was better thanks to Mum’s healing, but he was still a little slow. I sat next to Harry, taking in what remained of the castle he’d built. 

“So how’d it go with the builder?” I asked. The castle building reminding me of Harry’s meeting this morning. He’d met with the builder my dad had recommended, going through the house together. 

“It went well.” He said. I was amused by the contrast of the childlike playing in the sand with the adult preparations of building a house. 

“I liked the bloke. His name’s John Jewkes. He’s distantly related to the Diggories.” He told me. “He’s likeable and straightforward. He was excited about the idea of building my house, because of its history.” He inclined his head oddly.

“And he likes the idea of working for the famous Harry Potter.” I told him, saying what he would not. He made a face, continuing. Another larger wave came up the shore. I felt the chilly water against my skin. The ocean took more of the castle away with its trip back to sea.

“He said he’d set to work on it immediately.” He went on, aimlessly digging in the sand. “He, uh, had a few ideas about remodelling.” 

He paused. I looked up from the sand. Harry was looking up at the solitary cloud in the sky. I could tell he was thinking about how to word something by the way he moved his mouth, shaping the words. For a second, he seemed hesitant to speak at all. I watched his face carefully, curious about he could be thinking about. 

“John said that it would be easy, that there was a good spot for an addition to the second floor.” Harry paused, looking down from the sky to look at me.

“An addition?” I asked, curious again. I could tell Harry hadn’t gotten to his point yet. I turned to sit facing him cross-legged, tilting my head at him with the question.

“Yea. He said there was enough room to put in another large bedroom, or he could do two normal sized bedrooms with an adjoining bathroom, if we wanted.” Harry said, looking almost uncomfortable. He was watching my face, just as I was watching his.

I looked down, away from his distractingly beautiful eyes, so I could think. Why would we need more bedrooms? Did he want more people to come live with us? Then, I thought I understood his hesitation. I looked up at him, suddenly, as I figured his meaning. He could tell by my gaze that I’d gotten it. He wanted to know how many bedrooms we might need. Bedrooms for children we might have. A little nervously, he took my hands in his.

He took a breath before he spoke.

“I know we haven’t really talked much about the distant future, and certainly not in specific terms, but I guess this is something that just was bound to come up.” He paused again, looking at my hands. “I think you know…I hope you know, Ginny, that I see myself marrying you, in the future, and having a family with you.” 

He lifted his gaze. 

“Obviously, we’re very young, and don’t really need to think about that part of our lives for a while, but I just thought I should put it out there. I want to marry you, when we’re older, and then when we’re a bit more older, I want to have a family with you.” He kept my hands, and we both released a breath, laughing as the other did.

I smiled at him. 

“I’m glad. I want the exact same thing.” I told him, drawing a warm smile from him. I thought about what he’d said, and thought about what I wanted, looking down as another wave rushed back to the ocean. 

“Harry,” I started. He looked up at me. “I think, if you agree, that I’d like John to build two extra bedrooms and another bathroom. I think that’s what I want.”

A smile broke onto his face, wide and genuine. 

“Good.” He said. I could tell that he was relieved. “I really want that too, but I didn’t want to make the choice without your agreement.”

We sat there, looking at each other. Then I dove at him, hugging around his chest, forcing him to lie back on the sand. I settled so I was lying partially on top of him with my head resting on his shoulder, once again aware of how little clothing I wore. My breasts were certainly reaching the bikini top’s maximum capacity. Harry’s strong hands moved down my back and brush across the top edge of my bikini bottoms, which had knots on either side. Harry hummed in acknowledgement of his discovery.

“They’re Charmed not to come undone, but nice try.” I whispered in his ear. 

“Hmm.” He pouted, still teasing the skin on my hip with his fingers. One hand moved back up and settled behind my ribcage, pressing my breasts more firmly against his torso. I turned my head to kiss the side of his neck. I felt pressure against the top of my thigh, which was between Harry’s legs, causing my heart rate to increase.

“The beach was a really good idea, wasn’t it?” I said, almost panting from the contact. The sun was warm on my skin. I lifted my head and chest, causing my scantily clad breasts to rub against the skin of Harry’s chest. I leaned down and kissed him. 

A wave rushed past us, and I quickly rolled onto the sand on my back beside Harry, remembering this was a public beach. People, including two of my brothers, could be watching. The coolness of the water helped bring me back to the present. Harry just turned his head and looked over at me. His eyes tried not to linger on my chest and the straining fabric, but failed. I rolled onto my side, propping up on my elbow, looking at Harry. He was nicely muscled. His was the body of someone who never needed to work out because his life was naturally fraught with tense, epic situations to keep him on his toes. His chest had a light dusting of dark hair, not much, but enough to know you were with a man, not a boy. His arms were very muscular. Between Quidditch and the general nature of his life, he’d developed more than mental strength. 

For a while, Harry and I just laid on the beach, enjoying the sun, and looking at one another. Once Harry pointed as a sea gull dove into the water and came up with a fish in its beak. Eventually, the sun got lower and the sky grew dim. 

Angelina and George walked up, mentioning getting the food started. We stood up, as I straightened, I adjusted my top.

“Geez, Ginny, you think that suit is small enough?” George asked, a little protective and a little in disapproval. I ignored him.

Harry put an arm around my bare waist. 

“I think it’s perfect.” He said, holding back a grin. I saw George throw Harry a disgusted look that only brothers with grown sisters can produce.

Harry shrugged, a happy smile on his face. Angelina and I laughed at that. I liked that Harry had learned not to take offence to George’s snide remarks. As we got to the tent, we saw Ron and Hermione already out cooking the food. I saw Ron cooking. 

“How’d you swing that, Hermione? Were favours involved?” I asked suggestively, wiggling my eyebrows. 

Ron threw a carrot at me. I ducked, caught it and took a bite, causing Harry and Angelina to laugh.

We ate beef stew, which Hermione and Ron made from scratch and it tasted good. If they would always cook, living with them would be wonderful. I made a note to help Mum with meals more, so I could cook too, especially because I knew Hermione wouldn’t want Kreacher cooking for us, no matter how well we treated him. The sun was going down and Harry, Ron and George looked around for driftwood to make a fire. About twenty minutes later, we had a nice glowing fire on the beach. 

Once the sun had set, the temperature dropped, making the fire feel great. We stayed outside until we ran out of wood to burn and the fire died. Angelina and George went inside first. It was then I realised that this part of the evening might be kind of awkward, because there were two bunk-beds and six people. Obviously, we’d be sharing beds, but it was kind of weird sharing a bed, a single bed, with Harry in the same tent with two of my brothers. Neither one made any mention of it, though, nor did they insist that Harry sleep on the floor or anything like that. Harry and I stayed outside until Ron and Hermione went in. 

After a few minutes, we went inside too. There was a shower in a makeshift bathroom. I just rinsed the sand off of me, though. While Harry was rinsing off, I dug out a shirt I slept from my rucksack in that hung below my butt. I combed through my hair, and walked into the main room. George and Angelina had taken the top bunk of the second bed, and Ron and Hermione had taken the top bunk of the first bed. The four of them were talking quietly to their bed-mate, trying to forget anyone else was there. I almost laughed. Of course my two brothers split themselves between the beds, and not share one themselves, because they’d want to be able to feel the bed frame and make sure Harry and I weren’t doing anything that might make the frame rock. Harry walked in behind me, and took my hand, leading me to the bed. 

We laid down, and Harry pulled the cotton sheet over us. I snuggled into him. We both had a faintly salty smell that wasn’t unpleasant.

“Good night.” Ron called out. 

“Good night,” sounded from the rest of us. I heard a click, and a ball of light flew towards Ron. Ron obviously kept his Deluminator on him still. 

Rain started to fall. The light tapping on the tent was nice. It drowned out the sound of Ron and Hermione whispering to each other. Suddenly, a clap of thunder cracked through the tent. I jumped, and let out a little squeal. I was glad that the tent was made with wooden poles instead of metal. 

I heard George’s distinctive laugh. 

“Its just lightning, Gin.” He teased. I heard a laugh come from Ron above me.

I bit my lip, upset that I had let my brothers hear that. I thought I heard Angelina’s soft voice chastising him. I was shaking a little, fighting the flashing and crashing memories that tried to make their way into my mind. A flash of lightning became a spell shooting past my face nearly killing me. The rumble of thunder was stone blasted from the castle walls, rolling past me, and barraging my friends and family. I was angry that tears found their way into my eyes. I pressed my face into Harry’s chest to muffle my ragged breathing, though I knew everyone in the tent could hear me.

Harry’s arms tightened around me and he stroked my hair rhythmically. I concentrated on the feeling of his warmth and the security of being in his arms. 

“It’s okay, Ginny.” He whispered in my ear. He whispered softly, knowing I wouldn’t want my brothers to know why I’d been so frightened. “There’s no more bad stuff. We’re fine. We’re safe.” His lips pressed against my eyelids, taking the tears away. I held him to me, head on his shoulder.

“I love you.” He rumbled in my ear. It was the last sound I heard besides the even rhythm of his breathing.


End file.
